A Dhaka court has sentenced a rapist to life term imprisonment for raping a six-year-old child in South Keraniganj five years ago.

The judgment, handed down by Judge Munshi Md. Moshiar Rahman of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 in Dhaka, also includes a Tk 1 lakh fine, with an additional one-year rigorous imprisonment in default of payment.

The condemned convict was present in the court during the judgement.

In a significant move aimed at ensuring justice for the victim, the court further directed the Dhaka District Magistrate to identify, seize and auction off both the movable and immovable assets of the convicted rapist Sajib Bepari. The proceeds from this sale will then be disbursed to the victim`s family as compensation.

The harrowing incident unfolded on May 5, 2020, in the South Keraniganj area of the capital. According to case details presented in court, the victim`s father, a rickshaw puller, had gone to work, and her mother was employed as a domestic help elsewhere. Taking advantage of their absence, the accused Sajib Bepari who hails from Kadirabad in Barishal`s Kazirhat police station, enticed the young girl and her two-year-old brother from in front of their residence into his own dwelling. Inside, he subjected the six-year-old to the horrific act of rape. Following the assault, the child was left traumatized.

Upon her mother`s return, the distraught child recounted the ordeal. Her parents promptly took her to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital`s One-Stop Crisis Centre for medical examination and treatment. Subsequently, on May 13, 2020, a formal case was registered at the South Keraniganj Police Station.

Following his arrest, Sajib Bepari provided a confessional statement before the court, admitting to the crime. After a thorough investigation, the case`s investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Sanjay Malo, submitted the chargesheet on August 29. During the trial proceedings, the court meticulously examined the testimonies of seven key witnesses, ultimately leading to the conviction and sentencing.

Immediately after the judgment, he was taken into custody and transferred to prison to begin serving his sentence. The court`s directive regarding the seizure and sale of his assets underscores a commitment to not only punish the perpetrator but also to provide tangible support and redress to the victim and her family in this deeply disturbing case.