Bangladesh court sentences uncle to death for kidnapping and murdering five-year-old nephew

A court in Tangail has sentenced a man to death for kidnapping and murdering his five-year-old nephew in a ransom plot, concluding a high-profile case that shocked the local community.

The verdict was delivered on Tuesday by Judge A.N.M. Ilias of the Tangail Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. The convicted man, Md. Nurnabi, was present in court when the judgment was announced.

Nurnabi, a resident of Nab Dhulutia village in Gopalpur Upazila, was found guilty of abducting his nephew, K.M. Rahenul Islam Araf, the son of police officer Khandakar Russell.

According to court records, Araf was abducted from the Gangapara area of Gopalpur on October 8, 2024, with the help of several accomplices. After the kidnapping, the perpetrators demanded Tk 1 million (10 lakh) in ransom from the child's family.

When the child did not return, his grandfather, Md. Nasir Uddin, filed a case with Gopalpur Police Station on October 11, 2024.

Police later arrested Nurnabi, who allegedly disclosed the location of the victim's body during interrogation. On October 12, officers recovered Araf's decomposed body from the Kaliakair Hi-Tech Park area in Gazipur.

Investigators submitted the charge sheet against Nurnabi on May 27, 2025. After hearing witness testimony and reviewing the evidence, the tribunal found him guilty.

Public Prosecutor Omrao Khan Dipu said the court imposed the death penalty under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, along with a fine of Tk 20,000.

The court also sentenced Nurnabi to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment and another Tk 20,000 fine under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 for kidnapping a child for ransom. In addition, he received five years of rigorous imprisonment and a Tk 10,000 fine under Section 201 of the Penal Code for destroying evidence and concealing the body.

The court ordered that the compensation collected through the fines be paid to the victim's family in accordance with the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.

Defense lawyer Mohsin Sikder said there were no eyewitnesses to the killing and alleged that police held Nurnabi for three days before producing him in court. He said the defense plans to appeal the verdict before the High Court.