6 get life for abduction, rape of schoolgirl

24 June 2009, 17:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi

A Rajshahi court on Sunday awarded six people to life term imprisonment for abduction and rape of a schoolgirl in Godagari upazila. The convicts are Asaduzzaman Rubel, Towhidul Islam, Rabiul Islam, Nurul Islam Sujon, Imam and Abdur Rashid of the upazila. ATM Mesbauddoula, judge of the speedy trial tribunal of Rajshahi fined all the convicts Tk 1 lakh each, in default, to suffer two years more in jail. The judge also awarded each of them more 14 years of rigorous imprisonment for abetting each other in the abduction and rape. Each of the convicts was also fined Tk 10,000. Sajenur Bewa, one of the main accused, and eight others were, however, acquitted of charges. Father of the schoolgirl lodged the case with Godagari police station following abduction and gangrape on January 6 last year. According to allegations, the accused, helped by a drug-peddler Sajenur Bewa, took the girl to Iswardi and later to Savar in Dhaka. The girl was raped both at Iswardi and Savar. The rapists took video of the rape and in their attempt to take her to a neighbouring country to 'sell her there'. They also made forged marriage documents. Sub inspector Zahangir Hossain submitted charge sheet in the case on March 21 in 2008.