Death penalty in child rape case delivered in 29 working days
Police members escorting convicted Shakil Hossain to jail in Meherpur. Agamir Somoy.
A District Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Meherpur has sentenced a young man to death for the rape of a fifth-grade student.
The verdict was announced on Sunday at around 1:30 pm by Judge Md. Tajul Islam of the tribunal.
According to court sources, the judgment was delivered within 29 working days after recording testimonies both in person and through virtual video conferencing. A total of 12 witnesses testified over three days.
The convicted, Shakil Hossain (23), is the son of Abdal Hasan from Chandpur village in Gangni upazila of Meherpur.
Meherpur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Public Prosecutor Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Tuhin confirmed the verdict.
According to the case statement, on June 16, 2025, a fifth-grade student from Chandpur village in Gangni upazila was going to a nearby field carrying food for her father when Shakil Hossain allegedly threatened her with a weapon and took her to a jute field, where he raped her. The victim’s father, Ishanul Haque, later filed a rape case at Gangni Police Station.
Following the complaint, police arrested Shakil Hossain and sent him to jail. The trial was then completed within 29 working days, with testimony from 12 witnesses taken both virtually and in person. Based on the evidence, the court found the charges proven and sentenced him to death.
State prosecutor Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Tuhin said the verdict would serve as a precedent for preventing child rape and violence against children in the current context, noting that it was the first such ruling in Meherpur delivered within 29 working days.
Meanwhile, the defense lawyer, Advocate Maruf Ahmed Bijon, claimed the case contained several irregularities and said there was scope to appeal to a higher court.
