The High Court has upheld the death sentence given to Hitu Sheikh in the murder and rape case of eight-year-old Achiya of Magura. Following the hearing on the death reference and the accused’s appeal, the High Court bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabarty and Justice K M Rashiduzzaman Raja announced the verdict Monday.
The hearing on Hitu Sheikh’s death reference and appeal had concluded earlier, on August 24. The verdict was initially scheduled for August 25, but was not announced that day and was instead set for Monday.
State-appointed lawyer Hafizur Rahman Khan argued in court on behalf of Hitu Sheikh, while Deputy Attorney General Imam Hossain Tareq argued for the state.
How the tragic incident occurred
According to case documents and related sources, eight-year-old Achiya was raped on the night of March 5, 2025, while visiting her sister’s house in the Nijnandualy area of Magura Sadar upazila. The child had gone there to visit during the Ramadan holidays.
According to the allegations, her sister’s father-in-law, Hitu Sheikh, raped the child and then attempted to kill her. The child was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. She later died while undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.
The child’s mother filed a case over the incident, naming Hitu Sheikh and three others as accused. Police then arrested all four accused.
Trial concluded in 13 working days
Police submitted the chargesheet in the case to the court on April 13, 2025. The trial began with the framing of charges against the accused on April 23. Recording of testimony began April 27. A total of 29 witnesses testified for the state. Testimony concluded on May 7.
The case’s judicial proceedings concluded in just 13 working days. Closing arguments in the case concluded on the final day at Magura’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal on May 13 the same year.
Tribunal judge M Zahid Hasan announced the verdict on May 17. In the verdict, lead accused Hitu Sheikh was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of child Achiya. 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’s younger brother, 17; and Sajib’s mother, Jaheda Begum, 40.
Death reference reaches the High Court
Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, when any court hands down a death sentence, approval from a higher court is required before it can be carried out. For this reason, the case file was sent to the High Court on May 21, 2025, following the trial court’s verdict.
The file was later reviewed and sent to the BG Press for preparation of the paper book. Once the paper book was ready, it was sent to the High Court on June 8. The case was then placed on the cause list of a specialized High Court bench for hearing on the death reference and the accused’s appeal. Following extensive hearings, the High Court delivered its verdict Monday, upholding Hitu Sheikh’s death sentence.