Photo : Collected
A court here on Sunday (30 June) sentenced a man to life imprisonment in a case over raping his 16-year-old daughter.
The court also fined Saiful Islam 49, a resident of Kamata Kajaldighi Union of Panchagarh Sadar, Tk 50,000 with an additional one-year rigorous imprisonment in case of non-payment.
Judge BM Tariqul Kabir of the Panchagarh Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal pronounced the judgement.
The victim’s mother filed the case on November 18, 2023, at Panchagarh Sadar Police Station.
Within seven months of the case being filed, the court completed the trial and handed down the sentence.
Confirming the judgment, defence lawyer Ahsan Ullah Al Habib Labu, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and announced plans to appeal to a higher court.
Advocate Azizur Rahman Azu, Special Public Prosecutor of the Panchagarh Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, said the verdict sends a strong message to society, deterring potential offenders.
According to the case details and court records, the plaintiff is Saiful Islam's first wife, with whom he has five children—two daughters and three sons.
Family discord began when Saiful married again. Five years ago, the plaintiff moved back to her parents' home with two sons and two daughters. The couple officially separated last August due to Saiful's failure to provide expenses for the children.
The incident occurred on September 24 last year when the victim visited her father's house for a cousin's wedding.
The victim's mother filed a rape case at the Sadar Police Station, which was investigated by Sub-Inspector Shamsujjoha Sarkar.
The charge sheet was submitted to the court on March 28.
After a seven-month trial, during which eight witnesses testified, the court delivered the verdict.
Messenger/Mumu
