Bandarban court sentences four men to life imprisonment for gang rape

A court in Bandarban today sentenced four men to life imprisonment with hard labour after convicting them for the gang rape of a teenage girl.

Additionally, each of the perpetrators has been fined Tk 100,000, and in case of non-payment, they will have to serve another six months of rigorous imprisonment.

Judge Zebunnahar Ayesha of the Bandarban Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal delivered the verdict this morning.

The convicted individuals are Md Rashed (23), Md Kayser (22), Omar Faruq (18), and Md Hanif (24).

All of them are residents of Padua union under Lohagara upazila in Chattogram.According to the case details, the victim got acquainted with Md Rashed through a wrong-number phone call. Their acquaintance later turned into a romantic relationship.

On the night of February 2, 2021, Rashed lured the girl into coming to the Padua area by promising to marry her. Believing him, the girl arrived in Amirabad the next day, where Rashed told her over the phone that he would be late and instructed her to go to Padua with his friend Omar Faruq.

After reaching Padua, they led her to the remote hilly area of Bhaggyakul in Bandarban, pretending to take her to a marriage registrar's house. There, they took turns raping her against her will.

Hearing her screams, locals rushed to the spot, rescued the girl, and caught three of the rapists—Rashed, Kayser, and Omar Faruq, eventually handing them over to the police. Rashed and Omar Faruq were later released on bail.

The girl later filed a rape case against them at the Bandarban Police Station.

Public Prosecutor (PP) Mohammad Ismail stated that since the charges against the accused were proven, the court sentenced them to life imprisonment with hard labour.

He also mentioned that Md Kayser, who was in police custody, has been sent to jail, while the other three convicts are absconding. Legal action will be taken to apprehend them.