A tribunal in Lalmonirhat on Wednesday sentenced a 50-year-old man to life rigorous imprisonment for raping a five-year-old child after tempting her with a banana in Kaliganj upazila.
The court also fined the convict, Md Ashraf Hossain, Tk50,000, in default of which he will have to serve an additional three months of rigorous imprisonment.
Judge Nityananda Sarkar of the Lalmonirhat Child Violence Suppression Tribunal declared the verdict.
The convict Ashraf is the son of late Abdul Sahad Ali of Balaitari village under No 2 Madati Union of the upazila.
The incident took place on the afternoon of 8 December, 2024 at No 2 Madati Union in Kaliganj upazila. On that day, Ashraf took the child to his home tempting her with a banana and raped her there. Following the incident, the child’s mother Shapla Begum filed a case at Kaliganj Police Station on the same day.
Police subsequently investigated the matter and submitted a charge sheet to the court. Following lengthy judicial proceedings, the court found the allegations proven and sentenced the accused under Section 9(1) of the Prevention of Child Oppression Act, 2000 (Amendment 2003) to life rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Tk50,000.
Expressing satisfaction with the verdict, Advocate Lutfor Rahman, state lawyer for the prosecution, said justice had been established through this ruling. The court delivered the judgment after taking the testimonies of nine witnesses, ensuring justice for the plaintiff.
