The Supreme Court on Sunday postponed the execution of a death row convict Shukur Ali in a child rape and murder case in Kushtia until the release of the full text of the judgment. The Appellate Division asked Attorney General AM Amin Uddin to inform IG(Prison) and the jail authorities of the order. The five-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after convict’s lawyer Helal Uddin Molla informed it of the preparation  to execute Shukur following an ‘advance order’ of the court. Helal Uddin prayed for court’s intervention as Shukur  couldn’t appeal for review of the verdict as the full text of the order was not released as yet. The apex court said the advance order was issued to transfer other three convicts from condemn cells whose punishment was reduced to life term imprisonment from death penalty. Read:SC forms 5-member committee to prevent sexual harassment Meanwhile Helal Uddin said the advance order was already sent to Kashimpur Jail from Kushtia court and the preparations were made to execute the convict. As part of the process the convict sent clemency appeal to the President which got rejected, he said. The Appellate Division on August 18 this year upheld the death penalty of Shukur Ali, and commuted death sentences of three others to life imprisonment in a case filed over abduction, rape and murder of 13-year-old girl in Kushtia in 2004. The court later asked Shukur Ali’s lawyer Helal Uddin to submit a appeal to Chamber Judge for necessary direction in this regard and ordered to suspend the execution till November 16. Chamber Judge Obaydul Hasan passed the order and directed IG (Prisons) and jail authority for enactment. The court also asked Shukur’s lawyer to submit petition following the procedures for reviewing the judgment. The other three accused sentenced life imprisonment in the case are Nuruddin Sentu, Azanur Rahman and Mamun Hossain. On March 25, 2004, the victim was abducted by the accused while returning from a neighbour’s house after watching television at Lalnagar village under Kushtia's Daulatpur Upazila. They took her to a tobacco field, raped and killed her. The following day, her father filed a case against five people with the Daulatpur Police Station in connection with the incident. Read:SC directs to deduct custody time from total jail term given to convicts On February 4, 2009, The Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Kushtia sentenced five accused, Shukur, Sentu, Azanur, Mamun and Kamrul to death in the case. Later the convicts filed separate appeals with the HC, challenging the verdict while the death reference was sent to the court for approval. In the meantime convict Kamrul died in jail. In 2014, The HC upheld their punishment. Later the convicts filed appeals with the Appellate Division challenging the HC verdict.

A 50-year-old man has been arrested in Sreepur upazila for allegedly raping a minor girl more than a week ago, police said on Wednesday. The accused has been identified as Abdul Hai, son of Abdul Hakim Sheikh, a neighbour of the rape survivor. Read:5-year old murdered after rape in CTG; 4 held Shukhdev Roy, officer-in-charge of Sreepur Police Station, said the seven-year-old girl was alone at her home on the day of the crime. "Abdul forced himself on the girl but fled after she started screaming in pain." Later, the girl narrated her ordeal to her mother when she returned home. The child was admitted to Upazila Health Complex after she fell sick but was immediately sent her to Magura for better treatment. The girl's father subsequently filed a complaint against the accused at Sreepur police station. Based on the complaint, police lodged an FIR for rape and arrested the accused. "He was produced in a court and sent to judicial custody," the OC said. Bangladesh's rape epidemic Sexual assaults on women continue unabated in Bangladesh, despite the government introducing death penalty for rapes last year. Read:Child rape and murder case accused arrested in Rangpur A police headquarters report, released recently, said that 26,695 rape cases were filed across the country in the past five years. Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases had been filed. Also, 116 survivors were six years old or below. Overall, 1,627 rape cases were reported last year and 53 of the women were killed by the perpetrators while 14 took their own lives, as per the data. However, ASK's data is just the tip of the iceberg, according to aid agencies, who report that most women are too afraid to report rape. In October 2020, the country was rocked by protests after a woman was allegedly attacked and raped in Noakhali. Read: Out on joyride, woman raped by six on moving bus in Chattogram In November last year, Bangladesh introduced capital punishment for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women in several cities across the country. But human rights organisations say the move will not solve the country's rape crisis, as the survivors of the heinous crime are often stigmatised in the society.

Police have arrested a fugitive wanted as the prime accused in a case of killing a 10-year-old school student after he failed to rape her at Mithapakur Upazila of the district. The arrested was identified as Raja Miah, 25, son of Shamim Miah of Village Buzruk Santoshpur in Mithapukur Upazila. He had been living with his grandmother Halima Begum. Read:Out on joyride, woman raped by six on moving bus in Chattogram Assistant police super (D circle) Md. Kamruzzaman of  the Rangpur district police confirmed the arrest adding that the accused had been produced to the court on Friday and the court sent him to jail.  Acting on a tip-off, a team of police raided Talmar More area of Nagarkanda in Faridpur district and arrested Raju Miah from his hide out on Thursday. Read:Rajshahi child rape & murder case accused shot dead According to the case statement, Raju lured his neighbour Class III student Rahima, with buying biscuit and took her in his house where he allegedly tried to rape her on May 26. As she screamed, he strangled the child and then slit her throat with a blade to confirm her death. Later, he buried the body inside a room and fled the scene. Police on information recovered the body and sent it to the Rangpur Medical College Hospital morgue for post mortem examination.   Read: 999 call: 2 arrested after woman raped on truck Police arrested his grandmother Halima Begum in this regard. Later, the child’s father filed a murder case accusing Raju Miah and his grandmother Halima Begum with the crime at Mithapukur police station.  

A 21-year-old youth, who allegedly raped and murdered a child, was killed in a gunfight with police in Godagari upazila on Thursday night. A mobile phone stolen from the girl's house on the night of the crime was also found on Shamim, police said on Friday. Read: 999 call: 2 arrested after woman raped on truck Additional superintendent of district police, Iftekhar Alam, said, that some miscreants opened fire at a police team during a raid in Lalitnagar on Thursday night.  The cops retaliated and Shamim sustained bullet wounds in the crossfire. "He was rushed to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival," he said. Read:Rape case against 4 children: suspension order of 7 police stayed On the night of June 19, the child went to sleep alone in her room at her family home in Lalitnagar. The next morning, her parents found her lifeless body lying under a haystack. "We have been tracking the local criminals since the horrific crime, and the recovered mobile confirmed Shamim's involvement in the rape and murder," said Iftekhar.

A six-year old, speech impaired child was allegedly raped by a teenager on Monday at Radhanagar village of Jhikargacha upazila in Jashore. Police arrested Shohag, 16, the accused on Tuesday. The victim has been admitted in critical condition at Jessore General Hospital. Also read: Child hospitalized after 'rape attempt’ by 50-year old in Faridpur The victim's father said his daughter was playing with some other children near Radhanagar Bazar when Shohag, a tea stall owner, offered her sweets and lured her inside his shop, where he proceeded to rape her. As the girl returned home crying and bleeding, her father with help of the local chairman took her to hospital and filed a case in the police station. Also read: Child Rape in Shariatpur: 'Rapist' madrasa teacher let off with fine A Resident Medical officer (RMO) of Jessore General Hospital informed that samples have been collected from the victim's body for testing. It can be ensured after receiving the report whether the victim was raped or not, he said. Also read: Housewife gangraped in Rajshahi Officer-in-Charge of Jhikargacha police station, Abdur Rajjak, said a case has been filed in this connection. The accused was arrested from his house and sent to Jessore court, said the OC.

Police Friday arrested two teenagers for "raping" a seven-year-old girl in Bagerhat's Chitalmari. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chitalmari Police Station Mir Shariful Haque said, "On Thursday, the duo approached the girl and lured her on the pretext of playing a game. The teenagers took the seven-year-old to a nearby sugarcane field where they 'sexually assaulted' her." Later, the victim's father rushed to the spot hearing her scream and caught the teenagers in the act. Next, he filed a case against them at night, the OC said. Also read: Rape epidemic: 2 held over gang-rape of Pabna woman The girl was taken to Bagerhat Sadar Hospital for a medical examination, he added. Bangladesh's rape epidemic Bangladesh is facing a "rape epidemic" despite recent government approval of the death penalty for the crime – not that evidence ever suggested it would have the desired effect. Earlier last month, a police headquarters report said 26,695 rape cases had been filed across the country in the last five years. Also read: Police HQ: 26,695 rape cases filed in 5 yrs, with notable jump since 2019 Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases were filed. Also, 116 victims were 6 years old or below. Overall, 1,627 rape cases were reported last year and 53 of the victims were killed by the perpetrators while 14 took their own lives, the data showed. However, ASK's data was likely just the tip of the iceberg, according to aid agencies, who report that most women are too afraid to report rape. Also read: Housewife ‘gang-raped’ in Patuakhali In October 2020, the country was rocked by protests after a woman was attacked and raped in Noakhali. In November last year, Bangladesh introduced the death penalty for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women in several cities across Bangladesh. But human rights organisations say the move will not solve the country's rape crisis, as victims of sexual assault are often stigmatised in society.

An eight-year-old girl has been hospitalized following an alleged rape attempt by a 50-year old man in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur district. The critically ill child is currently undergoing treatment at Faridpur Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital.  The child's mother lodged a written complaint with the Boalmari police station on Saturday. Also read: Child Rape in Shariatpur: 'Rapist' madrasa teacher let off with fine According to the complaint, the girl was having shower at a pond beside her house when Yunus Sheikh, 50, forcibly took her to a garden near Raipur cremation ground and tried to rape her after giving death threat. The girl was initially silent out of fear when she reached home.  But as the pain in her genitals increased during the night, she started crying and told her family about the incident. She was rushed to the emergency unit of Boalmari Upazila Health Complex. Also read: Teen held for child rape in Narayanganj Later, she was shifted to Faridpur Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital on Friday night for better treatment as her condition deteriorated. The child's mother lodged a written complaint with the Boalmari police station the following afternoon. Kazi Ripon, a sub-inspector of Boalmari police station, said, "I have received a written complaint of rape bid on a child. Necessary legal action will be taken.” Also read: Police HQ: 26,695 rape cases filed in 5 yrs, with notable jump since 2019 Boalmari Upazila Health Complex emergency unit physician  Amir Hamza said signs of rape attempt was found on the child’s body.

A madrasa teacher, who allegedly raped an 8-year-old girl last month, has been let off the hook by a Kangaroo court after paying a fine of Tk 250,000 and receiving 10 slaps with a shoe at Zajira upazila of Shariatpur. According to sources, Amir Hamza,30, headmaster of Baitul Jannat Mohila Madrasa, raped the victim on March 13.   But after the incident became public on Thursday (April 15), locals held an arbitration instead of approaching police, underpinning a rape epidemic in the country. They fined the rapist Tk 3 lakh and 10 hits on the body with shoes. Later, the fine was revised to Tk 250,000. Also read: Rape epidemic: 2 held over gang-rape of Pabna woman The government amended the law last November to incorporate death penalty as the highest punishment for rape. Razzak Majhi, a resident of the area, said a so-called jury of 20-25 members delivered the verdict "after weighing every opinion". "All stakeholders are happy with the verdict," he claimed. Mintu Mondal, an inspector of Zajira Police Station, said no one informed them about the rape incident or the arbitration. Additional Superintendent of Police (Naria Circle) SM Mizanur Rahman said the law did not allow meting out punishment for rape through arbitration.  Also read: Housewife ‘gang-raped’ in Patuakhali He said they would take action after receiving a formal complaint. Rape epidemic continues in Bangladesh Bangladesh continues to see rape incidents even after raising the highest punishment. Rights groups blamed the lack of implementation of the law and a low conviction rate for the situation. Earlier last month, a police headquarters report said 26,695 rape cases had been filed across the country in the last five years. Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases were filed. Also, 116 victims were 6 years old or below. Overall, 1,627 rape cases were reported last year and 53 of the victims were killed by the perpetrators while 14 took their own lives. Also read: Police HQ: 26,695 rape cases filed in 5 yrs, with notable jump since 2019 ASK's data was likely just the tip of the iceberg, according to aid agencies, who report that most women are too afraid to report rape. The gang rape of a woman at Sylhet MC College hostel in September last year and the attack and rape of a woman in Noakhali the next month triggered massive countrywide protests. On October 13, the President promulgated an ordinance making death penalty the highest punishment for rape. The next month, the Parliament passed the amended law. Human rights organisations say strict implementation of the law and a high conviction rate will help bring down the crime. 

A thirteen-year-old girl was kidnapped and sexually violated by a man in Sunamganj, according to a complaint lodged under the ‘Prevention of Women & Children Repression Act’ by the girl’s father.

A man was arrested in Rajbari’s Goalanda on Wednesday night for allegedly trying to rape his step-daughter, an eighth grader at a local school.