Hitu’s lawyer gave NOC during the hearing of his death reference and appeal, prompting the High Court to appoint Hafizur Rahman Khan
Hitu Sheikh is escorted to court by police. Photo: Collected
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Hitu Sheikh is escorted to court by police. Photo: Collected
The High Court today (13 August) appointed a state-funded lawyer to represent death-row convict Hitu Sheikh in the rape and murder case of eight-year-old Asiya in Magura after his previous lawyer withdrew from the case.
A bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja appointed Advocate Hafizur Rahman Khan to represent Hitu Sheikh.
Deputy Attorney General Imam Hossain Tareq said Hitu’s previously appointed lawyer, Md Abbas Uddin, gave a no-objection certificate (NOC) to step aside from the case, following which the court appointed Hafizur on the second day of the hearing.
On 11 August, the High Court began hearing Hitu’s appeal against his death sentence and the death reference.
Earlier, on 17 May 2025, a Magura tribunal sentenced Hitu Sheikh to death after finding him guilty of raping and killing Asiya.
The tribunal acquitted the other three accused — Asiya’s sister’s husband Sajib Sheikh, his brother Ratul Sheikh and their mother Zaheda Begum.
Hitu subsequently appealed against the death sentence, while the trial court on 21 May 2025 sent the case records to the High Court for review and confirmation of the sentence.
Eight-year-old Asiya was raped while visiting her sister’s house in Magura’s Sreepur upazila on 6 March 2025.
She was taken to Magura Sadar Hospital, then transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Two days later, she was taken to Combined Military Hospital, where she died on 13 March while undergoing treatment.
On 8 March 2025, Asiya’s mother filed a case against Hitu and the other three accused with Magura Sadar Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The murder charge was added after Asiya’s death.
Hitu, the prime accused, gave a confessional statement before a court on 15 March.
Police submitted the charge sheet on 13 April, and the court framed charges against Hitu under Section 9(2) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and against the other three under separate sections of the Penal Code.
The trial began with witness testimony on 27 April. The prosecution examined 29 witnesses, completing the evidence on 8 May. After two days of arguments, the tribunal delivered its verdict on 17 May.
The case records were subsequently sent to the High Court for review, and the paper book was received by the court’s relevant section in June.
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