Magura child rape: Locals set fire to house of prime accused after victim laid to rest

Highlights

• Locals torched the house of Hitu Sheikh, the prime accused
• The child passed away at CMH at 1:00pm after suffering multiple cardiac arrests
• High Court orders trial to be completed within six months
• Hitu Sheikh and three family members placed on remand

Locals set fire the house of the prime accused in the case filed over the rape of an eight-year-old girl, who succumed to her injuries while under treatment at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) earlier today (13 March), in Magura.

As the death news spread, an agitated crowd set the house of Hitu Sheikh, the prime accused in the rape case, on fire at Nijnanduali village in Sadar upazila this evening after the child was laid to rest at her village home at Jaria village in Sreepur upazila, reports Prothom Alo and UNB.

Several videos of the incident are circulating on social media platforms.

Earlier in the day, the Bangladesh Army, in a Facebook post, informed that the eight-year-old passed away at 1:00pm.

She had suffered seven cardiac arrests since yesterday and was in a very critical condition. She suffered three cardiac arrests since morning, said the army, though doctors were able to stabilise her for the first two times but the third cardiac arrest proved fatal.

Despite ensuring the most advanced medical treatment and the relentless efforts of specialist doctors at CMH, the child's life could not be saved, said the army. 

Her body was later taken to Magura stadium by a helicopter around 5:15pm.

Her namaz-e-janaza was held after Maghrib prayers at Magura Nomani Maidan around 7pm.

People from all walks of life participated in the janaza.

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar was present there.

The rape

The eight-year-old was raped on the night of 5 March when the victim visited her sister's in-laws' house at Nijnanduali village in Magura's Sadar upazila.

She went to bed with her sister at night, but at the dead of night, her sister found her missing and began searching for her.

After a frantic search, the girl was found unconscious a few yards away from the house.

She was raped by her sister's father-in-law, who was allegedly helped by his son last, according to the statement of a case filed over the crime.

On the morning of 6 March, the child was taken to Magura's 250-bed hospital in an unconscious state.

Later that day, she was transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday night. 

By Friday night (7 March), she was placed on life support.

On the evening of 8 March, the critically ill child was moved from DMCH's PICU to CMH for advanced care. 

A medical board, led by CMH's chief surgeon and comprising eight specialists, including experts in surgery, gynaecology, plastic surgery, paediatric neurology, anaesthesia, paediatric cardiology, and thoracic surgery, was formed for her treatment.

The rape of the girl sparked protests across the country. University students, including that of Dhaka University, staged demonstrations on their respective campuses, demanding the death penalty of the accused.

Meanwhile, police arrested four people -- victim's sister's husband Sojib Sheikh, 20, his brother Ratul Sheikh, 25, and her sister's parents-in-law, Hitu Sheikh, 50, and Jabeda Begum, 40, -- in connection with the rape on 8 March.

On Monday midnight, a Magura court placed the main accused on a seven-day remand and three others on a five-day remand each.

The High Court on Sunday ordered the lower court to complete the trial of the case within six months.

The HC also ordered the completion of investigation into the case within 30 days, and submit a report in this regard accordingly.