A Magura court has sentenced Hitu Sheikh, the main accused in the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl, to death.
The verdict was delivered on Saturday by Judge M Zahid Hasan of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal.
Hitu Sheikh, 50, the father-in-law of the victim’s sister, was found guilty and sentenced accordingly.
Three others — his wife Jabeda Begum (40), and sons Sajib Sheikh (20) and Ratul Sheikh (25) — were acquitted of all charges.
Public Prosecutor Monirul Islam Mukul confirmed the verdict and noted that 29 witnesses had testified in the case, alongside the seizure of seven pieces of evidence.
According to the case details, the child had been visiting her sister’s in-laws in Magura. On March 6, she was found unconscious and taken to Magura’s 250-bed hospital.
She was later transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka, where she died on March 13 while undergoing treatment.
The victim’s mother filed a case on March 8 at the Magura Sadar Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, accusing the perpetrators of attempted rape and murder.
On April 13, Inspector Md Alauddin, the investigating officer, submitted the charge sheet. The case was moved to the Tribunal on April 17 and the charge sheet was accepted on April 20.
Earlier, on March 15, Hitu Sheikh confessed to the crime under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before a senior judicial magistrate.
Testimonies began on April 27. Charges were framed against Hitu Sheikh under Section 9(2) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act (rape causing death), while other family members were charged under separate Penal Code sections related to criminal intimidation and evidence tampering.
