Dhaka court sentences six men to life imprisonment for gang rape of two women
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A Dhaka tribunal sentenced six men to life imprisonment on Tuesday for the gang rape of two young women in Keraniganj, a verdict that concludes a high-profile case involving digital extortion and violent assault. Judge Munshi Md. Mashiur Rahman of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 handed down the sentences, which also include a fine of 100,000 taka for each convict.
The court ordered that the fines be collected through the sale of the defendants’ movable and immovable assets, with the proceeds to be awarded to the victims as compensation. The convicted individuals are Rahul, 23, Md. Diamond, 20, Afsar Uddin Anim, 22, Parvez Huq Palash, 25, Minhaj Abedin, 21, and Minhaj Babu, 24. While five of the men were present in court to hear the verdict, Rahul remains a fugitive; the court has issued an arrest warrant to ensure he serves his sentence.
The incident occurred on the evening of June 25, 2022, when the two victims were returning from a birthday celebration in Keraniganj. According to court documents, the six men intercepted the victims while they were waiting for transportation, assaulted their male companions, and robbed them of cash and mobile phones. The assailants then abducted the women to a secluded location, where they committed the rape and recorded the assault on video, which they later used to threaten the victims.
Following a distress call from the victims’ friends, police launched a rescue operation that led to the recovery of the women. Four days later, a formal case was filed by the father of one of the victims at the South Keraniganj Police Station. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) subsequently apprehended Minhaj Abedin, whose possession of one of the victims’ phones provided crucial evidence in the form of the recorded video of the attack.
The South Keraniganj police submitted a formal charge sheet on April 30, 2023, following an extensive investigation. The subsequent trial saw testimony from 12 witnesses, ultimately resulting in the conviction of all six defendants. Following the sentencing, the five men in custody were returned to prison to begin their life terms.
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