3 men sentenced to death for 2022 rape, murder of teenager in Keraniganj

A Dhaka court has sentenced three individuals to death for the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Keraniganj three years ago.

Judge Munshi Md Moshier Rahman of Dhaka's Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 delivered the verdict today (25 March), reports Prothom Alo. 

The convicts — Md Sajib, Md Rakib, and Shawon — were sent to prison following the verdict.

In addition to the death sentences, the court sentenced the three to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of 10,000 Taka each for attempting to conceal the crime by hiding the body. If they fail to pay the fines, they will serve an additional year.

The tribunal also ordered the district magistrate of Dhaka to seize any property from the convicted individuals to recover the fines and deposit the amount into the state treasury.

Meanwhile, two other accused individuals, Ali Akbar, 22, and Md Riyaz 22, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

According to the prosecution, the convicts abducted the girl on 11 June 2022. Then they raped and murdered her, and dumped her body in a water body near West Bamnansur Jame Masjid in Keraniganj. 

Police received a report on the emergency number 999 at 7:45am on 11 June 2022, about a body floating in the pond near West Bamnansur Jame Masjid. Police later recovered the body and launched an investigation.

Upon investigation, the victim was identified by her friend, Brishti Akter.

Shawon was arrested and later confessed to the crime. He revealed that he, along with Rakib, Sajib, and Ali Akbar, had raped and murdered the girl before discarding her body in the pond. Rakib and Sajib were also arrested and corroborated Shawon's confession.

The investigation, led by Sub-Inspector Alok Kumar Dey of Keraniganj model police station, led to the submission of a charge sheet in September 2023, and the court framed charges the following year. 

The prosecution presented 19 witnesses during the trial.