Ansar member filed a lawsuit against 3 officials for sexual assault and dismissal

A female Ansar member filed a lawsuit against three of her senior colleagues, alleging sexual harassment and dismissal.

The 27-year-old woman, posted in Habiganj, filed a case with Tribunal-1 for Prevention of Repression against Women and Children yesterday and named three people: Khalid Ahmed, Habiganj Sadar upazila officer of Ansar-VDF; Aklima Akhtar, Ansar-VDP Habiganj Sadar Upazila women coach; and Ansar party leader Ilias Ali.

According to the case statement, Khalid had withheld the nursing home worth Tk 1,80,000 given to the victim and 17 others for their duties in Rajnagar area of ​​Habiganj town during the sixth upazila election.

On September 12, Khalid invited her to “go for a walk” when she went to ask for payment, but she refused.

A few hours later, she was asked to visit him in his office to collect the bill. When the victim went to the office, he found Ilias and several others there.

Khaled ordered them to leave but to wait outside while the victim was forced to stay inside. Khaled then attacked her, the lawsuit statement said.

In the statement, it was stated that when he tried to escape, Ilias, who was waiting at the entrance, blocked him and beat him brutally.

He was rescued by district commander Arup Ratan Paul, who sent him to the hospital.

Following the incident, a video of the incident was published on social media (Facebook) and the victim’s marriage engagement was cancelled. The victim then complained to a local army camp.

On September 20, an army team led by district commander Mirza Sifat-e-Khoda visited the Ansar-VDP office. Instead of helping him, Mirza tried to have the victim arrested.

The victim and his brother, also a member of Ansar, who protested the incident on October 29, were dismissed from their jobs.

The victim initially avoided taking legal action for fear of losing his job.

The police officer in question, Khalid, denied the accusations. He maintained that no Ansar member could claim to have acted inappropriately. He claimed that the woman had a sudden argument with party leader Ilias Ali in his office.

Asked about the issue, Ansar-VDP Habiganj district commander Mirza Sifat-e-Khoda claimed that the female member “damaged her own reputation” by complaining to the army instead of filing a formal complaint.

He stated that he was dismissed due to various allegations against him.