A Faridpur court today (23 July) sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping a nine-year-old third-grade student in Saltha upazila of the district in 2020.
The convict, Shawkat Mia, 38, was also fined Tk1 lakh. In default of payment, he will have to serve an additional one year of simple imprisonment.
Judge Md Abul Basher Mia of the Faridpur Child Violence Suppression Tribunal, who is also a district and sessions judge, pronounced the verdict around 12:30pm in the presence of the accused.
Following the verdict, Shawkat was sent to Faridpur District Jail under tight police security.
According to the case statement, the victim went to a vegetable field near her house in Baro Bangrail village on the afternoon of 22 May 2020.
At the time, Shawkat, a neighbour, allegedly took the child to a nearby abandoned jute field and raped her.
Locals later rescued the child in a critical condition and admitted her to the One-Stop Crisis Centre of Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
The following day, the victim’s father filed a case with Saltha Police Station against Shawkat as the sole accused.
After investigation, police submitted a charge sheet against him on 5 October 2020.
Following the completion of witness testimonies and arguments from both sides, the court delivered the verdict today, nearly six years after the incident.
Expressing satisfaction over the verdict, state lawyer Assistant Public Prosecutor Advocate Archana Das said, “Justice has been established through today’s verdict for the brutality committed against an innocent child. This punishment will create fear among criminals in society and play an important role in protecting children. We are highly satisfied with the verdict.”
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