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Published : 23 Apr 2025, 03:46 PM
A tribunal has indicted four individuals accused of the “rape and murder” of an 8-year-old in Magura, paving the way for the start of trial proceedings in the much-discussed case.
Judge M Zahdi Hasan framed charges against four suspects after they were presented at the Magura Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal on Wednesday morning.
The judge fixed the next hearing in the case for Apr 27.
Public Prosecutor (PP) Monirul Islam Mukul and other lawyers were present during the hearing.
Around 10am, the accused -- the father-in-law of the child’s sister Hitu Sheikh, brother-in-law Sojib Sheikh, his brother Ratul Sheikh, and their mother Rokeya Begum -- were brought to the court.
Considering the case to be of public importance, lawyer Ehsanul Haque Shomaji has been appointed as special prosecutorial advisor of the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide legal assistance to the state. He also took part in the hearing.
According to court sources, the charges against Hitu were brought under Section 9/2 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act (crime of death from rape), against Sojib and Ratul under Section 506 of the Penal Code (intimidation), and against Rokeya under Section 201 of the Penal Code (destruction of evidence of a crime).
After the hearing, Ehsanul said the court had greenlit a request to frame charges against them based on the chargesheet, the statement of the prime accused and other documents.
He said the judge had informed the accused that they could appoint a lawyer for themselves if they wanted, but that it must be done adhering to the Jail Code.
The accused denied they were involved in the crime when asked, Ehsanul added.
A child from Sreepur Upazila came to visit her elder sister's house in Nijnanduali village in Magura suburb on Mar 1. There, she was raped on Mar 6. She was first taken to Magura 250-bed hospital and later to Faridpur Medical College Hospital in Dhaka for advanced treatment.
The child died at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka on Mar 13.
On Mar 8, the victim’s mother filed a case with Magura Sadar police, naming the four suspects.
Case investigation officer and Inspector (Investigation) Md Alauddin of Magura Sadar Police Station submitted the chargesheet to the court on Apr 13.
Ayub Ali, chief of the police station, said Hitu's wife Rokeya had been charged with concealing information while the child's brother-in-law Sojib and his brother Ratul were accused of intimidation.
