Sylhet District Correspondent
In 2020, leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) gang-raped a young woman at the MC College dormitory in Sylhet. The trials of two charges in this case will now proceed in the Speedy Trial Tribunal. The state has withdrawn its appeal against the High Court’s directive to transfer the cases to the Speedy Trial Tribunal.
On Monday, the state withdrew its appeal, and a bench led by Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam dismissed the case.
Advocates Omar Faruq, M. Abdul Kaiyum, and Kamrun Mahmud appeared for the petitioner, while Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rauf represented the state.
Advocate M. Abdul Kaiyum Liton said, “The victim’s husband filed a writ petition seeking the transfer of the case to the Speedy Trial Tribunal. On December 15, 2022, the High Court granted the rule and directed the issuance of a transfer gazette within 30 days. The then-state party had delayed the trial process by appealing to the Appellate Division, aiming to prevent the case from being transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal. Today, almost two years later, the hearing was held. The state has withdrawn its appeal, thus upholding the High Court’s order. This will expedite the trial process and ensure proper justice. The case had reached the evidence-taking stage but had not progressed further.”
Reports indicate that on the night of September 25, 2020, leaders and activists of the BCL gang-raped a woman after tying up her husband at the MC College dormitory in Sylhet. Following the incident, the victim’s husband filed a case with Shah Paran Police Station. On December 3 of the same year, police submitted a charge sheet against eight individuals under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
Subsequently, on January 17, 2021, charges were framed in the case by Judge Md. Mohitul Haque Chowdhury of the Sylhet Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal.
The accused in the charge sheet are BCL leaders Saifur Rahman, Shah Mahbubur Rahman alias Roni, Tarek-ul-Islam alias Tarek, Arjun Laskar, Ainudin alias Ainul, Misbaul Islam alias Rajon, Rabiul Islam, and Mahfuzur Rahman alias Masum. Additionally, a separate charge sheet for extortion was submitted to the Sessions Court. Later, the plaintiff appealed to the High Court, which ordered that both cases be tried in a single court. On May 11, 2022, charges were framed in the extortion and robbery case.
Charges in the rape case were framed in January 2021, and in the extortion case in May 2022, but no evidence-taking began. For this reason, the victim’s husband filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking trial in the Speedy Trial Tribunal. Following a hearing, the High Court issued a rule on August 16, 2022. After the final hearing, the High Court announced a verdict on December 15 of the same year, directing the issuance of a gazette for the transfer to the Speedy Trial Tribunal within 30 days.
In 2023, the state appealed to the Appellate Division against the High Court’s verdict.
