Death Penalty Imposed for Child Rape in Khagrachari

A tribunal in Khagrachari has sentenced a man to death for the rape of a seven-year-old girl in the Ramgarh upazila of the district.

Shaila Sharmin, the judge of the Khagrachari Child Violence Prevention Tribunal, delivered the verdict on Monday afternoon. The convict, identified as Mohammad Shahin, a local tea-stall owner, was present in the dock when the judgment was pronounced. He was subsequently escorted back to prison under tight security to await the execution of his sentence.

The prosecution expressed deep satisfaction with the swiftness of the judicial process. Srijoni Tripura, the public prosecutor assigned to the case, confirmed the details of the ruling to reporters outside the courtroom. She highlighted that the entire legal proceedings, from the filing of the case to the final verdict, concluded in less than a year. According to the prosecution, such a prompt resolution serves as a critical milestone in ensuring justice for victims of sexual violence in the region.

Background of the Case

The incident traces back to 25 July of last year in Ramgarh, a sub-district within the hill tract district of Khagrachari. The victim, a seven-year-old second-grade student at a local madrasa, was subjected to the assault, triggering widespread outrage in the community. Following the incident, the child’s father filed a formal complaint at the Ramgarh Police Station, initiating a criminal investigation.

Law enforcement officials acted swiftly, conducting a raid that led to the immediate arrest of Shahin. Over the past year, the tribunal reviewed forensic evidence and heard testimonies from multiple witnesses before reaching its final decision on Monday.

Defence to Appeal

Conversely, the legal counsel representing the convict expressed strong dissatisfaction with the tribunal’s decision. Defence lawyer Advocate Bedarul Islam stated that his client did not receive a fair trial and maintained that the evidence presented did not justify capital punishment. He announced intentions to challenge the verdict in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, seeking a review of the tribunal’s judgment.