Bangladesh A’ team cricketer, Tofael Ahmed Raihan, has been officially charged after a Tofael booked in sexual assault case. Police have submitted a detailed charge sheet to the court. He is accused of repeatedly assaulting a young woman after allegedly convincing her to trust him with promises of marriage.
The case started when the woman filed a complaint at Gulshan Police Station on August 1, saying that Tofael had sexually assaulted her several times over a few months. Documents show that Tofael first contacted her on Facebook in January. She initially refused his advances, but he later convinced her to start a relationship by promising to marry her.
On January 31, he allegedly took her to a hotel in Gulshan, called her his wife, and sexually assaulted her. The woman said similar incidents happened several more times in the following months, even though she kept asking him to marry her.
Police Investigation and Evidence
Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Md Samiul Islam confirmed that the charge sheet was filed under Section 9(1) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, which addresses rape-related offenses.
Police stated that the allegations were supported by prima facie evidence, including witness statements, hotel booking records, medical reports, and digital communications.
While physical or DNA evidence could not be collected due to the complaint being lodged six months after the first alleged incident, investigators deemed the documentation and consistent testimony sufficient to proceed with charges.
Court Proceedings
On September 24, the High Court gave Tofael a six-week anticipatory bail and ordered him to appear before the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal.
Bangladesh Players Threaten action after he failed to follow the court’s instructions and even travelled to Hong Kong to play a six-a-side tournament for Bangladesh A, with the next hearing scheduled for December 30, when the charge sheet will be presented in court.
This case has received a lot of attention in Bangladesh, raising concerns about sexual misconduct and responsibility in sports.
