Mohammad Yusuf, Barishal: A Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Barishal has sentenced a 55-year-old man, Alamgir Sikder, to death for raping a minor. The court also fined the convict Tk 100,000 and directed the District Administration to take responsibility for the maintenance of the child born from the rape. Judge Ashraf Uddin delivered the verdict in the presence of the accused at 12:00 PM on Thursday, July 2.

The death-row convict, Alamgir Sikder, is a resident of Purbo Keshabkathi village in Uzirpur upazila, Barishal. Public Prosecutor AKM Shamsul Haque said the victim, a teenage girl, and Alamgir were neighbors from the same area. The girl used to visit their house because of that proximity. On March 3, 2023, the 15-year-old Class 9 student went to bathe in a pond in front of her house. Alamgir took her to his residence and raped her. The girl later became pregnant. The child born to the victim is currently 3 years old. The prosecutor added that Alamgir had also raped the girl five to six months before March 3, and later raped her multiple times after threatening her.

The girl’s father filed a case at Uzirpur Police Station on May 21, 2023, following the incident. On May 31, 2024, the investigating officer submitted a charge sheet naming Alamgir as the accused. After recording the testimony of six witnesses, the judge delivered the verdict on Thursday.