Man, wife sentenced to death for trafficking woman to India

Two people have been sentenced to death on charges of trafficking a woman to India promising job in the neighbouring country.

Judge of Khulna Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3, Abdus Salam Khan, delivered the verdict on Wednesday afternoon.

Each of the convicts has been fined Tk 100,000 while three others have been acquitted of the charges as the allegations against them could not be proved.

The death row convicts are Shahin Sheikh and Asma Begum alias Salma. They are couple. Both of them are fugitives. They would live in a rented house in Khanjahan Ali police station area.

Public prosecutor Farid Ahmed confirmed the news of verdict. Eight witnesses testify in the case.

Farid Ahmed said the convicts trafficked a girl at BIT Road of Khanjahan Ali police station in the city to India in 2009 promising a job with handsome salary.

The girl was sold there for unethical activities. When the matter came to light, her relatives demanded to bring back the victim, the accused demanded Tk 20,000 as extortion. The girl could not be brought back yet.

In connection with the incident, the victim's mother filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act with the Khanjahan Ali police station.

The public prosecutor said the incident of human trafficking was under the jurisdiction of Women and Children Repression Prevention Act upto 2012.

The issue of human trafficking has been mentioned in section 6 (1) of that act.

According to the section, the judge delivered the highest punishment.

However, the defendants' lawyers have expressed dissatisfaction. They said they would appeal in the High Court.