Married Hindu woman raped at gunpoint by Muslim man in Bangladesh
Natore District, Bangladesh 
24 September, 2024
Case Summary
A Hindu woman in Choto Chaugram village of Singra upazila, Natore, was raped at gunpoint by a Muslim man, Rabiul Islam. The accused, also known as Rabbul, is the son of Fazlu Biswas and has multiple robbery and illegal arms cases registered against him in different police stations. The assault took place around 1 a.m. when the victim’s husband had gone fishing in a nearby pond. Taking advantage of his absence, Rabiul entered the house by climbing over the railing, switched off the lights, and raped the woman after threatening her with a weapon. In the morning, the victim informed her husband, who, with the assistance of neighbours, lodged a written complaint at Singra police station. The victim was sent to the Upazila Health Complex for medical examination, and evidence was collected from the scene. Singra Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Akbar Ali confirmed that a rape case has been registered, and efforts are ongoing to arrest the accused. Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh spiralled into chaos, with Islamist extremists seizing the political instability to unleash widespread violence against the Hindu community. Mobs attacked and burned Hindu homes, abducted women, and left a trail of destruction. Numerous temples were also attacked in this relentless assault on Hindus.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been placed under the ‘Undecided’ category in the Hinduphobia Tracker, as there is currently no definitive evidence confirming a religious motivation behind the crime. That said, it is important to consider the broader context in which the incident occurred. The crime took place in Bangladesh, where the Hindu minority has historically faced systemic persecution and violent attacks by sections of the Muslim majority. This trend has intensified significantly following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024. Since her removal, there has been a marked surge in violence against the Hindu community — including reports of rapes, forced conversions, mob lynchings, assaults, temple desecrations, and the displacement of Hindus from their ancestral properties. Given this worsening situation, it is entirely plausible that the Hindu woman in this case may have been targeted due to her religious identity. At the same time, there remains the possibility that the attack was opportunistic or personal in nature, without a direct communal motive. In the absence of conclusive evidence pointing to a religious motive, the case will remain categorised as ‘Undecided’. Should further information emerge establishing a clear link to religiously motivated hate, the case will be reclassified appropriately within the hate crime database.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 1
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
