Child Rape Convict Sentenced to Life in Ctg

A Chattogram tribunal today sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping a four-year-old child in the city's Baklia area, delivering the verdict just 26 days after the case was filed. Judge Syeda Hafsa Jhuma of the Chattogram Metropolitan Child Violence Prevention Tribunal convicted Monir Hossain, 30, and also fined him Tk 50,000. In default of payment, he will have to serve an additional one year of rigorous imprisonment.

According to court sources, the trial began on June 9 after charges were framed against the accused in his presence. The verdict was pronounced today, only 10 days after charge framing and within eight working days from the commencement of the trial. The case stemmed from the rape of a four-year-old child in the Chairmanghata area of Baklia on May 21. Police arrested Monir Hossain on the same day.

On May 22, the victim's father filed a case with Baklia Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The accused later gave a confessional statement before the court, while the child's statement was also recorded that day. Investigators completed the inquiry, including the DNA report, within five working days and submitted the charge sheet on June 4.

Between June 10 and June 12, the tribunal recorded and completed the cross-examination of 18 witnesses, including the complainant, the victim, medical experts and the investigating officer. After hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence on June 16, the court fixed June 17 for delivering the judgment. Following the verdict, Public Prosecutor Mahmud-ul Alam Chowdhury Maruf said the case had been disposed of within eight working days of the start of the trial, describing it as one of the fastest child rape trials in the metropolitan tribunal.

He expressed hope that the swift disposal of the case would strengthen public confidence in the justice system and serve as a deterrent to similar crimes.