3 Suspects Arrested in Harassment of Female Journalist

The arrested individuals are Shoyeb Rahman, 25, from Bagerhat’s Moreelganj, Md Raisul Islam, 21, from Bairshal Sadar, and Md Kawsar Hossain, 21, also from Bagerhat. Rab-3 Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Sanad Barua confirmed that the trio was detained after a video of the assault went viral on social media.

Following the widespread attention, Rab launched an investigation and deployed several teams across Dhaka to capture the suspects. The arrestees were handed over to Rampura police for legal proceedings.

The incident occurred when Rafia Tamanana, an editorial assistant at New Age, and her brother were assaulted after confronting a group of youths who had been stalking her near their home in Banasree. Rafia recounted the incident on Facebook, describing how three to four youths followed her from a nearby shop, and when her brother intervened, they attacked him. Rafia was also assaulted when she tried to defend him.

She noted the lack of help from bystanders, saying, “People just watched like spectators, and the attackers even called for reinforcements.” Fearing further harm, Rafia and her brother fled the scene.

In her post, Rafia expressed her distress, asking, “I'm not safe in my own neighborhood?” She later filed a case with the Rampura police.

This incident has sparked public concern over the safety of women and the rise of street harassment, further prompting calls for stronger measures to protect women in public spaces.