Man sentenced to death for attempted rape, murder of 12-year-old in Magura

The court found Hasan Sheikh guilty based on DNA evidence and testimony from 11 witnesses
Our Correspondent, Benapole

A Magura court today sentenced Hasan Sheikh, 28, to death for attempting to rape and brutally murdering a 12-year-old in Sreepur upazila in 2022.

Magura District and Sessions Judge Md Mizanur Rahman handed down the verdict in a packed courtroom this afternoon.

The convict, Hasan Sheikh, is from Srikol village in Sreepur upazila.

According to case details, the incident occurred on March 17, 2022, when the victim went to a field near her house to harvest garlic. Hasan dragged the young girl to a nearby bamboo grove alongside a river and attempted to rape her.

When she resisted, Hasan strangled her using her own scarf and mutilated her body with a razor blade. Police recovered the victim's body from the bamboo grove two days after she went missing.

DNA extracted from hair and other samples collected from the crime scene matched Hasan Sheikh. A total of 11 witnesses testified during the trial, leading the court to find the accused guilty.

Following the verdict, the victim's mother expressed her satisfaction while calling for the immediate execution of the sentence.

Public Prosecutor Shakhawat Hossain said that the victim's father had filed a case with Sreepur Police Station two days after the incident. Following a thorough investigation, police submitted the charge sheet, culminating in today's final judgment.