Magura child rape: 4 accused remanded in midnight hearing

The police couldn’t produce the accused in the case filed over raping an eight-year-old child in Magura before the court due to security concerns.

Given the situation, the court held the hearing on the remand plea late in the night.

The court in Magura granted seven days of remand for the father-in-law to the victim’s sister while her husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law have been placed on a five-day remand each. Magura chief judicial magistrate Abdul Matin passed the order.

According to court sources and police officials, various demonstrations were held throughout the day yesterday in Magura town, demanding the death penalty for those involved in the child rape case within 24 hours.

Protestors blocked the main entrance of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm. They then moved to Vayna Mor and blocked the highway. The blockade continued till 5:00 pm.

Later in the evening, they organised a torch procession in the town. Given this tense situation, concerns over the security of the accused prevented the police from presenting them before court during the day.

The remand hearing commenced after midnight yesterday. The investigating officer in the case applied for a seven-day remand for each of the accused. No lawyer stood for the defendants in the hearing. When given the opportunity to defend themselves in court, the accused claimed their innocence and requested that remand not be granted.

The investigating officer informed the court that the victim was unconscious and therefore unable to provide a statement. As a result, questioning the accused was deeply necessary. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge granted a seven- day remand for the principal accused and a five-day remand for the other three accused. 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official involved in the investigation told Prothom Alo, “Although all necessary documents, including the remand applications, were ready, presenting the accused in court during the day was considered too risky. Protestors had surrounded the court entrance throughout the day, demanding that the accused be handed over to them. For this reason, the hearing was held at night.”

According to victim’s family, the child was raped last Thursday afternoon while visiting her sister’s home in Nijnanduali village, on the outskirts of Magura town. She is currently undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka. 

On Saturday, the child’s mother filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act with Magura Sadar police station accusing the child’s sister’s husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law.

They are already in police custody. Following their formal arrest in connection with the case, the sister’s husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law were subsequently sent to prison.