Death Penalty for Tabassum’s Rapist and Killer

A special tribunal in Jhenaidah has sentenced a man to death for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, Tabassum, in Kaliganj Upazila. The convict, Abu Taher, was also fined Tk 500,000 by the court.The verdict was announced on Monday (22 June) by the Jhenaidah Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. Delivered within four months of the incident under special government directives, the swift judgement has been welcomed by the victim’s family, who expressed their satisfaction with both the court and the government.

Incident Background and Investigation

According to court sources, the brutal incident occurred on the morning of 26 February in Badurgacha village under Kaliganj Upazila. Abu Taher lured the four-year-old victim into his residence by promising to buy her crisps and juice. Once inside, he subjected the child to severe physical assault.

When the child began to scream in agony, Taher strangled her to death using his loincloth (lungi). Later that night, he concealed the body inside a sack and hid it inside a septic tank at the adjacent Abdul Jabbar Secondary School.

Following the murder, the accused fled the area. However, a coordinated police operation led to his arrest later that same night from a rented house in Kushtia town. Following his arrest, Taher confessed to his crimes during police interrogation and subsequently delivered a formal confessional statement in court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The investigating officer of the case, Kaliganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jellal Hossain, submitted the formal charge sheet to the court on 26 May. The tribunal conducted expedited hearings, recording the depositions of 16 prosecution witnesses. Legal arguments from both sides concluded on Sunday, preceding the final verdict on Monday.

Case Summary and Timeline

The key details and legal milestones of the case are structured in the table below:

Prior to his arrest, Abu Taher worked as a sales representative for a commercial company. He resided in a rented accommodation in Badedihi village, located immediately adjacent to the victim’s family home.