Child Killed After Refusing Abuse Attempt

In a harrowing incident in Babuganj, Barisal, a 10-year-old girl, Raisa Akter, was deliberately set on fire and later died after refusing inappropriate advances. Raisa was the daughter of Nazrul Hawlader, a day labourer, and resided in the South Rakudia village of Dherergoti Union.

The accused, 15-year-old Sifat Sikder, also from South Rakudia and son of Jalal Sikder, reportedly belongs to a local youth gang. Raisa’s family allege that Sifat had harassed her multiple times, and when she rejected his advances, he committed the heinous act of setting her on fire.

According to statements and available video evidence, Raisa had described the attack before her death. She said, “He said bad things to me, I did not agree, so Sifat set me on fire.”

The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon. Sifat allegedly intercepted Raisa when she was alone and attempted to drag her to an isolated area. Raisa screamed for help, attracting the attention of a nearby resident, Taslim, who alerted other locals. They rescued her from the scene while she was severely burned and immediately took her to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal. As her condition worsened, she was transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, where she succumbed to her injuries on Monday morning.

Dr Monirul Islam, a senior doctor at the Dhaka burn institute, explained that Raisa suffered third-degree burns with clothing fused to her skin, significantly reducing her chances of survival. “Immediate treatment provided some hope, but the severity of the burns made survival unlikely,” he added.

The Babuganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Sheikh Md. Ehteshamul Islam, said, “We inspected the scene immediately after the incident. Investigation into Raisa’s death is ongoing. No written complaint has been submitted yet, but legal action will be taken once received.”

The community is outraged, demanding the arrest of Sifat and exemplary punishment. As of now, Sifat Sikder remains at large.

The table below summarises key details of the incident and medical response:

This tragic case has highlighted the urgent need for enhanced child protection and swift legal action to deter similar crimes in rural communities.