A court in Cox’s Bazar has sentenced a man, identified as Md. Soleman, to death by hanging for the rape and murder of a six-year-old child in the Moheshkhali Upazila. The verdict was handed down on Tuesday afternoon by Judge Mohammad Osman Gani of the Cox’s Bazar Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-2.
The convict, Md. Soleman, is the son of the late Sayed Karim from Chakmarkul area of Whykong Union in Teknaf Upazila. He was present in the court during the pronouncement of the verdict and was subsequently sent back to prison. The news of the sentence was confirmed to Prothom Alo by Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain.
According to court sources, the young victim, a first-grade student, was playing in front of her house on the afternoon of November 30, 2022, after returning from school. Soleman lured her away with promises of cake and juice before raping her. When the child became unconscious, he placed her inside a suitcase and transported her to the Koriardiya Dam area in Pekua Upazila’s Ujantia Union.
Upon opening the suitcase, Soleman discovered the child was dead. He then buried her body in the mud and soil at the location. Later that night, he called the child’s family, claiming she had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom of five lakh taka for her release. The family filed a General Diary with the police, which led to Soleman’s arrest on December 3.
