The High Court has upheld the death sentence given to lead accused Hitu Sheikh in the rape and murder case of eight-year-old Achiya Akter in Magura.
A High Court double bench led by Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabarty delivered the verdict Monday, August 31.
In the closely watched case, the High Court had concluded the hearing on August 24 and set August 25 for the verdict. However, the state informed the court on the scheduled day that the Attorney General himself would argue the case. Based on the state’s request, the court pushed back the verdict date to August 31.
On the rescheduled day, Monday, the court announced its verdict on Hitu Sheikh’s death reference and appeal. State-appointed lawyer Hafizur Rahman Khan represented the defense, while Deputy Attorney General Imam Hossain Tareq appeared for the state.
Eight-year-old Achiya had gone to visit her sister’s house in the Nijnandualy area of Magura town during the Ramadan holidays on March 5, 2025. That night, the child was raped. According to the case’s allegations, her sister’s father-in-law, Hitu Sheikh, raped her and then attempted to kill her.
The child was taken to Dhaka for treatment in critical condition. She later died while undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital.
The child’s mother filed a case over the incident, naming Hitu Sheikh and three others as accused. Police then arrested the accused named in the case.
Police submitted the chargesheet in the case on April 13, 2025. Trial proceedings began with the framing of charges on April 23. Recording of testimony began April 27. A total of 29 witnesses testified for the state in the case.
Testimony concluded on May 7 last year. The case’s judicial proceedings were completed in just 13 working days.
Closing arguments in the case concluded before Magura’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal judge M Zahid Hasan on May 13 the same year. The verdict was announced on May 17, following the arguments.
Magura’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced lead accused Hitu Sheikh, 47, to death in the child rape and murder case. He was also fined 100,000 taka.
However, the court acquitted the case’s three other accused: the deceased child’s sister’s husband, Sajib Sheikh, 19; Sajib Sheikh’s younger brother, 17; and Sajib’s mother, Jaheda Begum, 40.
Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, when a trial court hands down a death sentence, all case documents must be sent to a higher court for approval before it can be carried out. Accordingly, the case file was sent to the High Court on May 21, 2025.
After the necessary review, the file was sent to the BG Press to prepare the paper book. Once ready, the paper book was sent to the High Court on June 8 last year.
The case then came up on the cause list of a specialized High Court bench for hearing. Following the hearing, the High Court today upheld lead accused Hitu Sheikh’s death sentence.