Bangladeshi police have arrested the chief of a major state-run fertiliser factory on charges of raping an underage housemaid in the southeastern port city of Chittagong.
Triple Super Phosphate Fertiliser Factory's Managing Director Zahurul Islam was arrested from his port city residence on the basis of the complaint made on behalf of the 15-year old domestic help, police said.
Islam and senior factory officials have termed the charge as part of a plot by "some disgruntled and corrupt officials" of the factory.
The girl alleged that Zahirul Islam drugged and raped her repeatedly during the past four days at his official residence at the factory complex, where he stays alone as his wife and children live in Dhaka, a police official said on phone.
But, senior factory officials described the allegation as a conspiracy by some disgruntled and corrupt officials of the firm, who in recent period faced different punitive measures.
The MD transferred five to seven officials for indulging in irregularities and corruption at the beginning of 2008 during the tenure of caretaker government. They might be conspiring, the officials told reporters.
"Moreover the MD's initiative to evict illegal slums surrounding his bungalow at Bepari Para last year also might be a reason behind the conspiracy," they said.
{{/usCountry}}"Moreover the MD's initiative to evict illegal slums surrounding his bungalow at Bepari Para last year also might be a reason behind the conspiracy," they said.
{{/usCountry}}Police said in primary interrogation, Alam too claimed to have fallen victim to a conspiracy by some of the transferred corrupt officials and local hoodlums.