Court orders three to life in prison for raping college student

A Dhaka court has sentenced three individuals to life imprisonment for abduction and rape over rejection of a proposal for romantic relationship.

Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Golam Kabir passed the verdict on Thursday.

The convicts were Shamim Hossain and his accomplices Nazmul and Zilkad, both identified by single names.

Prosecutor Sazzad Hossain Sabuj said alongside the life sentence, each of the convicts had been fined Tk 100,000 with another six months of jail term if they fail to pay.

The convicts appeared in court for the verdict hearing and were later sent to jail after the sentencing.

Nine years ago, the convicts abducted the victim from the main gate of Matuail Hazi Abdul Latif Bhuiyan College in Jatrabari and proceeded to rape her together.

According to the case dossier, Shamim had expressed his love interest to a classmate since admission into the college. The classmate, however, turned him down. Around 11am on Mar 15, 2016, a microbus swooped in when the victim was entering the college and Shamim, with the help of the two, picked her up, took her to Matuail and proceeded with the act.

The student's mother filed a case with Jatrabari police on Mar 17. After investigating, the police filed a charge sheet against the three that year.