A housewife (name not mentioned) in Cherenga village in Jaldhaka upazila filed the case with Jaldhaka thana, accusing Kabir Chowdhury and five others of abducting and raping her at the municipal office on the night of July 30.

Police had recovered the housewife on 31 July from the municipal office complex while several hundred agitated people were protesting the incident outside.

The alleged rape incident sparked demonstrations in Jaldhaka town. Hartal was also observed for arrest of the alleged rapists.

In the face of protests, State Minister for Education and Minister in Charge of Nilphamari district ANM Ehsanul Haq Milon directed police to arrest the accused BNP leader.

After hiding for more than a month, Kibria Chowdhury and the rest five accused persons sought bail from the High Court in the first week of September. The High Court granted an interim bail for 28 days and asked them to appear before a lower court.

On expiry of the HC bail period, all the accused appeared before the Women and Children Repression Prevention Court in Nilphamari and prayed for 'permanent bail'. But Special Judge Idris Alam rejected their prayer and sent them to jail.

BNP sources said Anwarul Kabir Chowdhury was an aspirant for party nomination in the next parliament election from Jaldhaka.

He had rivalry with Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury from the area. Clashes took place between their supporters on several occasions.

Anwarul Kabir Chowdhury earlier denied the allegation of rape. Talking to some newsmen over cell phone from an undisclosed place earlier, he said that he was a victim of 'conspiracy by Jamaat'.

He also claimed that the demonstrations against him earlier were organised by local Jamaat leaders from behind the scene.