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Published : 10 Mar 2025, 11:35 AM
Police have been given the greenlight to grill four suspects in custody in connection with the alleged rape of an 8-year-old child in Magura.
Due to security concerns, police could not present the suspects in court during the day on Sunday. As such, the court held the remand hearing after midnight.
Magura Sadar Police Station’s Inspector (Investigation) Md Alauddin filed a petition at the Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court for each suspect to be remanded for seven days.
The accused in the high-profile case are the child’s brother-in-law Sojib Hossain, 18, his father Hitu Mia, 42, a 17-year-old minor, and their mother Jabeda Begum, 40.
After the hearing, Senior Judicial Magistrate Abdul Matin remanded Hitu Mia for seven days and the others for four days.
Protests demanding the death penalty within 24 hours for those involved in the assault of the child took place throughout Sunday in Magura town. From noon to 2:30pm, demonstrators blocked the main gate of the Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court in Magura. Later, they moved to Vaina Mor and blocked the highway until 5pm.
Under these circumstances, the police decided against bringing the suspects to court during the day.
At the remand hearing, no lawyers represented the accused. When allowed to speak, the suspects claimed innocence and requested not to be remanded.
The investigating officer told the court that the victim remained unconscious, making it impossible to record her statement. Therefore, interrogating the suspects was necessary.
“Although all documents were ready, presenting the suspects in court during the day posed a security risk. Protesters had surrounded the court gate, demanding that the suspects be handed over to them. That’s why the hearing was conducted at night,” said Inspector Alauddin.
The incident occurred on Feb 8 when the child was visiting her sister's house in Nijnanduali village on the outskirts of Magura town. Following the attack, she was initially taken to Magura Sadar Hospital. As her condition worsened, she was transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
For further advanced treatment, she was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Thursday. By Friday night, she was placed on ventilation due to her deteriorating condition.
On Saturday, doctors at Dhaka Medical College declared her condition critical. A medical board was formed for her treatment, but by evening, she was transferred to the Combined Military Hospital, or CMH, in Dhaka for better care.
On Sunday morning, Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury visited CMH to check on the child's condition. He instructed hospital authorities to ensure the highest level of medical care for her.
