A Magura court has sentenced Hitu Sheikh to death for the rape and murder of eight-year-old Asiya— a case that shocked the nation. The verdict was announced on Saturday morning (17 May) by Judge M Zahid Hasan of the Magura Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal.
Three other accused— Hitu Sheikh's wife Zaheda Begum and sons Sojib and Ratul Sheikh— were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
The accused were brought to court from prison around 8:30 am. The verdict followed closing arguments presented on May 13, after two days of hearings that began on May 12.
Prosecutor Advocate Monirul Islam Mukul stated that 29 witnesses testified during the trial. Among them, 12 verified key pieces of evidence across seven seizure lists. Additionally, five doctors confirmed their signatures and findings in three medical reports submitted to the court.
According to the prosecution, the testimonies and evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Hitu Sheikh was guilty under Section 9(2) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 (amended in 2003).
Case Background
On March 6, Asiya was visiting her sister's in-laws in Nijnanduali village, Magura, when she was raped. She sustained serious injuries and was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka. She died on March 13 while undergoing treatment.
The brutal crime triggered nationwide protests led by students and youth. Legal professionals in the area also pledged to deny legal support to the accused.
On March 15, Hitu Sheikh gave a confessional statement in court, admitting sole responsibility for the crime. However, the investigation report filed on April 13 formally accused all four individuals.
