Man Sentenced to Life for Rape and Fraud in Kushtia

A court has sentenced 30-year-old Johnny Hossain, also known as Rajim, to life imprisonment for raping a college student under the pretext of marriage.

Judge Joynal Abedin of the Kushtia Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal delivered the verdict on Wednesday afternoon. The court also imposed a fine of 100,000 BDT; failure to pay will result in an additional six months of imprisonment. Johnny, the son of Badsha Mia from 16-Dag village, remains at large after jumping bail.

The victim, a local college student, met Johnny on social media, where he falsely identified himself as a member of the Bangladesh Army. On January 1, 2022, Johnny visited the victim’s home while her parents were away and raped her.

Over the following months, Johnny continued the assault under the promise of marriage, leading to the victim’s pregnancy. Exploiting the situation, Johnny extorted 800,000 BDT from the victim's expatriate father, claiming the money was needed for a professional promotion. Once he received the funds, he severed all contact and began a smear campaign against the victim's character.

The victim gave birth to a son on March 2, 2023. Following the refusal of the accused to take responsibility, she filed a case with the Kushtia Tribunal on June 22, 2023.

A DNA test later confirmed Johnny's paternity, providing indisputable evidence for the prosecution. Sub-Inspector Mintu Mia of Bheramara Police Station submitted the formal charge sheet on October 31, 2023.

State Prosecutor Advocate Abdul Majid confirmed that the charges of rape and fraud were proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Although Johnny was initially arrested in July 2023, he fled after being granted bail and was sentenced in absentia.