Staff Reporter :
The High Court has ordered the trial of the case involving the rape of an eight-year-old girl in Magura to be completed within 180 days, in accordance with the Women and Child Repression Prevention Act.
The suo motu order was issued by a bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury, directing the Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal to implement it.
This order comes amid concerns that trials in such cases often exceed the stipulated timeframe due to various reasons.
In addition to expediting the trial, the court instructed the government to appoint two social welfare officials-one in Dhaka and one in Magura-to oversee the protection and medical care of the child and her older sister, who was married off at the age of 14.
The older sister’s husband and father-in-law are among the four accused in the case, which has sparked national outrage.
Earlier, the court ordered the removal of all photos of the child from media and social media platforms, stating that publishing such images is illegal.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) was tasked with enforcing this order, with a warning that further action would be taken if compliance was not met.
The court set 17 March as the next hearing date, during which the Attorney General’s Office will present the implementation status of the orders.
Barrister Syed Mahsib Hossain, who brought the case to the court’s attention, urged accountability for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, citing its failure to prevent such crimes.
The eight-year-old girl, who was transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka for better treatment, remains in critical condition.
She was initially admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after being raped on 5 March by her sister’s father-in-law while she was sleeping.
The child suffered severe injuries, including wounds in her genital area and a throat injury.
Four individuals, including her sister’s husband and father-in-law, have been arrested in connection with the case.
The child’s mother alleged that the family attempted to cover up the incident and even threatened to kill the child if she spoke out.
The case has drawn significant public attention, with demands for justice and institutional reforms to protect victims of sexual violence.
As protests continue across the country, citizens are calling for immediate action to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals.
