BNP leader expelled in Kishoreganj following rape accusation against fifth-grade student

KISHOREGANJ — The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expelled a local leader in Kuliarchar following allegations that he raped a fifth-grade student. The decision to remove Joj Miah, 55, from the party was finalized by the Kishoreganj district committee on Thursday.

Miah previously served as the general secretary of the Faridpur Union Ward 7 branch of the BNP. Shah Alam, joint general secretary of the Kuliarchar Upazila BNP, confirmed the expulsion. The order was signed by the district BNP general secretary and Kishoreganj-1 Member of Parliament, Mazharul Islam, who cited “proven allegations of severe breaches of party discipline.” Party members have been formally instructed to cease all organizational contact with Miah.

Local party members stated that Miah’s conduct became increasingly aggressive following recent shifts in the national political landscape, noting that he frequently abused his perceived influence and mistreated local residents.

The criminal allegations stem from an incident on August 13, when the victim was gathering firewood. According to statements from the child’s family and local police, Miah allegedly gagged the girl with a cloth and dragged her into a nearby wooded area to commit the assault.

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The child’s cries alerted bystanders, who intervened to rescue her and temporarily detain Miah. Witnesses alleged that several influential villagers subsequently attempted to cover up the incident by proposing an out-of-court settlement, offering the victim’s father 50,000 taka to drop the matter. After these individuals secured Miah’s release from the initial scene, the victim’s father filed a formal case at the Kuliarchar Police Station.

Kuliarchar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kazi Arif Uddin confirmed that the accused remains at large and that law enforcement agencies are currently conducting an operation to apprehend him. Miah could not be reached for comment, as his mobile phone remains powered off.