Gazipur Father Jailed for Life Over Daughter’s Sexual Assault

A special tribunal in Gazipur has sentenced a father to life imprisonment for raping his teenage daughter in a landmark judgment delivered on Thursday. In addition to the life sentence, the court imposed a fine of 100,000 taka on the convict. Judge Md. Abu Bakar Siddique of the Gazipur Prevention of Violence Against Children Tribunal pronounced the verdict in the presence of the accused, marking a swift conclusion to a case that has drawn considerable attention across the region.

State Prosecutor Mosammat Selina Begum represented the prosecution, while Defence Counsel Md. Sohel Jamil Sarkar appeared on behalf of the accused alongside other legal professionals.

According to court proceedings and case details provided by Prosecutor Selina Begum, the convict, Md. Ripon Hossain—son of Mojibur Rahman Mollar, originating from the Old Doharo Khulumbari area under Shailkupa Police Station in Jhenaidah district—had been residing in a rented property in the Barishaler Tek area of Madhabpur, within the jurisdiction of Kashimpur Police Station under Gazipur City Corporation. He lived there with his 39-year-old wife, Mosammat Josna Begum, and their 15-year-old daughter.

The prosecution established that on the night of 26 March last year, the family went to sleep around 10:00 pm. During the early hours of the night, Ripon forcefully assaulted his teenage daughter. Following the traumatic incident, the victim’s mother, Josna Begum, took immediate legal action by lodging a formal complaint at the Kashimpur Police Station under the Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP), naming her husband as the sole accused. Law enforcement personnel moved swiftly to arrest Ripon and produce him before the court.

Following a thorough investigation, Sub-Inspector (SI) Rokon Mia of Kashimpur Police Station submitted a complete charge sheet on 30 September last year. The court formally framed charges against the accused on 11 May. Over the course of the trial, the tribunal recorded testimonies from seven prosecution witnesses, including medical experts and investigating officers, building a watertight evidentiary record that led to the conviction. Judge Siddique delivered the final verdict within just two months of charge formation, highlighting the tribunal’s commitment to fast-tracking cases involving sexual violence against minors.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome, Defence Counsel Md. Sohel Jamil Sarkar stated that his client was aggrieved by the judgment and intended to explore options for an appeal in a higher court.

The ruling underscores the stringent stance taken by judicial authorities in Bangladesh regarding domestic sexual abuse and child protection. Under Bangladeshi law, cases brought before specialised violence suppression tribunals are designed to provide rapid redress to victims, ensuring that perpetrators of heinous domestic crimes face decisive prosecution without prolonged procedural delays.