Trial in Bakalia child rape case concluded in 13 days, verdict tomorrow

The arguments of both sides in a case over the alleged rape of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Bakalia's Chairman Ghat area of Chattogram have been concluded in just 13 days. The case is now awaiting verdict.

The court of Judge Syeda Hafsa Jhuma of the Chattogram Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal concluded the arguments from both the state prosecution and defence today (16 June). The court subsequently set tomorrow (17 June) for the delivery of the judgment, confirmed Public Prosecutor (PP) Mahmud-ul Alam Chowdhury Maruf.

According to court sources, the chargesheet in the case was submitted on 4 June. The tribunal framed charges against accused Monir Hossain on 9 June, formally commencing the trial the following day.

Witness testimony began shortly afterwards, with 18 witnesses deposing over three working days. During the self-defence hearing on Monday, the accused pleaded not guilty but did not produce any defence witnesses.

Case records show that the incident allegedly occurred on 21 May in the Chairman Ghat area of Bakalia, involving the assault of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl. The victim's father later filed a case with Bakalia Police Station.

Following investigation, police submitted a chargesheet under Section 9(1) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 (amended 2003).

The incident sparked unrest in the area on the day it occurred, leading to clashes between police and locals in which at least 30 people, including journalists, were injured. A police vehicle was also set on fire during the unrest.