A Tangail court has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and gang rape of a woman in the Madhupur forest in 2023.
On Tuesday, Judge Anam Elias of the Tangail Women and Child Abuse Prevention Tribunal delivered the verdict. The primary accused, A. Rahim of Jamalpur, received life in prison and a Tk 100,000 fine for gang rape, alongside an additional 15 years of rigorous imprisonment and a Tk 20,000 fine for kidnapping.
The two other convicts, Shafiqul Islam Shafi and Shamsul Haque of Mymensingh, were each sentenced to life in prison and fined Tk 100,000 for their roles in the assault. Failure to pay the fines will result in additional jail time.
According to the prosecution, on June 22, 2023, the men lured the victim from Jamalpur under the pretense of a marriage proposal. They transported her to the secluded Dokhla forest area in Madhupur, where she was gang-raped. The victim subsequently filed a case at the Madhupur Police Station, and police submitted the charge sheet on December 24, 2023.
Special Public Prosecutor Advocate Md. Omrao Khan Dilu welcomed the verdict, stating it delivers justice and sets a strong deterrent against violence toward women. However, defense lawyer Advocate Md. Shahanshah Siddiqui Mintu stated his clients were denied justice and announced plans to appeal the decision in the High Court. Following the verdict, all three convicts were sent to the district jail under heavy security.
