[Dhaka Tribune] A leader of Jubo League... the youth wing of the Bangla Awami League...
, Awami League’s youth affiliate, in Rajshahi has allegedly kidnapped a tenth-grader at gun point to marry her.
"Jubo League leader Sohel Rana along with 12 activists on six cycle of violences broke into my house at Taherpur municipality of Bagmara upazila on Friday evening, firing blank shots, and whisked away my daughter," said the girl’s father.
"They assaulted the family members, including women, before taking away the girl at gunpoint," he said.
The family members alleged that the girl was taken to the mayor’s home and immediately married to Rana.
Jubo League activists, who were around the house after the abduction, made sure that the family members could not go to the police.
The family claims that Taherpur Jubo League President Asadul Islam, Chhatra League
... the student wing of the Bangla Awami League ...
President Korban Ali, ward unit Awami League President Mizanur Rahman and several other leaders of the ruling party and its affiliates were involved in the abduction.
The girl’s brother said that they were later called to the mayor’s home. "They threatened to kill us if we reported the matter to the police," he said.
The family members claimed that they had not reported the incident to police in view of life threats. They suspect that the local mayor was also involved.
Selim Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bagmara police, said that they had moved to rescue the girl, but were later informed by Taherpur Mayor Abul Kalam Azad that she was safe and sound at his home.
"Rana and the girl were in a relationship. She was brought from her home as the family rejected the marriage proposal," said Mizanur.
When contacted, Mayor Azad said that the girl had not been married off with Rana and problems between two families over the issue had been solved.
Marriage Registrar Abdul Malek said that he had not registered the marriage as the girl was below 18.