The trial of a 7-year-old child rape case in Mongla, Bagerhat, has been completed in just 16 days. The court sentenced the only accused Abdul Mannan to life imprisonment. He was also sentenced to one more year imprisonment for non-payment of a fine of Tk 20,000.
On Monday (October 19), a week after the formation of the charge of the case, the judge of the Bagerhat Women and Child Abuse Suppression Tribunal, District and Sessions Judge Md. Noor Alam announced the verdict.
On Sunday (October 18) from noon to afternoon, the judge heard the arguments of the plaintiffs and defendants in the case.
According to the case sources, the fatherless seven-year-old child lives with his uncle in the landless shelter project area of Makordon village in Mongla. On the afternoon of October 3, Abdul Mannan of the same area raped the child by taking her to his house after temptation her with biscuits. Later, after knowing the issue, the girl’s uncle filed a case against Abdul Mannan at Mongla police station on the same night. Police arrested Mannan soon after the case was filed.
Mongla police sub-inspector (SI) Biswajit Mukherjee filed the chargesheet in the court on October 11.
The case was framed on October 12. On October 13, 16 witnesses of the plaintiffs testified. The testimony of doctors, judicial magistrates, women police members and the investigating officer of the case was taken on October 14.
Following the arguments of the plaintiffs and the defendants on Sunday (October 18) as there is a public holiday on October 16 and 17, the verdict was set on Monday (October 19) by the District and Sessions Judge of the Bagerhat Women and Child Abuse Suppression Tribunal Noor Alam.
Women leaders, lawyers and civil society representatives see the end of the judicial process in just seven working days as an example. Many commented that if the trial of a heinous crime like rape is completed in this way, it will play a role in preventing rape.
On Sunday, state counsel APP Ranjit Kumar Mondol said, “The Prevention of Cruelty against Women and Children Act states that if the accused is caught in a rape case, the trial can be completed within 15 working days. This case is proof of that.”
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