Chattogram child rape case, convict awarded life sentence

A Chattogram court on Wednesday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in the city's Bakalia area, delivering the verdict just 25 days after the incident was reported.

The Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal, presided over by Judge Syeda Hafsa Jhuma, also fined the convict Monir Hossain, 32, Tk 50,000.

Public Prosecutor Mahmud-ul Alam Chowdhury said the tribunal found the charge against the accused proven and handed down the life sentence under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 (amended in 2003).

"The entire trial process, including recording of evidence, examination of the accused and presentation of arguments, was completed within five working days. The verdict was delivered within 25 days of the incident," the prosecutor said.

The court framed charges against Monir Hossain on June 9 and ordered the commencement of the trial. Testimony recording began on June 10. Within three working days, statements and cross-examinations of 18 witnesses, including the complainant, the victim and medical experts, were completed.

Following the conclusion of arguments by both the prosecution and defence on Tuesday, the case was kept for judgment.

Earlier, on June 4, the investigation officer, Inspector (Investigation) Tanvir Ahmed of Bakalia Police Station, submitted the charge sheet after completing the investigation within nearly two weeks. Police also collected DNA evidence and recorded both the victim's statement and the accused's confessional statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

According to the case documents, the child was allegedly raped in the Bakalia area on May 21. Police arrested Monir Hossain shortly after the incident.

The arrest triggered public outrage, with local residents reportedly attempting to snatch the accused from police custody while he was being taken to the police station. Demonstrators also staged protests demanding the highest punishment for the accused.

On May 22, Monir Hossain gave a confessional statement before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Bakkar Siddique.

Monir Hossain hails from Gharghata village in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla. He had been residing in a rented house in Miah Khan Nagar under Bakalia and worked at a local decorating company.

TZ