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Published : 08 Jun 2026, 02:54 PM
A Chattogram court has taken cognisance of a chargesheet submitted by police over the alleged rape of a 3-and-a-half-year-old in Chairman Ghata of Chattogram’s Bakalia.
Following a hearing on Monday, Chattogram Metropolitan Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Syeda Hafsa Jhuma fixed Tuesday for the indictment hearing.
Tribunal Public Prosecutor Mahmud-ul Alam Chowdhury Maruf told bdnews24.com, “The court has taken cognisance of the chargesheet filed by police against the suspect Monir Hossain.”
Monir was produced in court from jail on Monday. He was sent back afterwards.
On Jun 4, the investigating officer of the case, Inspector (Investigation) Tanvir Ahmed of Bakalia Police Station, submitted the chargesheet to the court.
Monir was charged with rape under Section 9 (1) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 (Amended 2003).
Previously, police had taken the child’s DNA report and recorded the statements of the accused and the victim under Section 164. A total of 22 people were called as witnesses in the case.
Detainee Monir “confessed” after being presented at the court of Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Bakr Siddique on the afternoon of May 22.
On the afternoon of May 21, news had spread in Chairman Ghata that a child had been “raped” by Monir, a 32-year-old who was employed as a decorator. Police went and arrested him after receiving the complaint.
When police tried to take Monir to the police station, locals blocked him, saying that they would take the matter into their own hands in order to “ensure” his punishment.
After they were barred from taking the suspect away for two hours, police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
Locals gathered and surrounded the police vehicle as the Bakalia area turned into a battlefield in a clash between law enforcers and locals.
A large police truck was set on fire and at least 40 people, including journalists, were injured.
The child's father filed a case with Bakalia Police Station later that night.
On May 22, police said Monir, who was arrested on charges of “rape”, had “confessed his guilt”.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (South) Hossain Md Kabir Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com, "During our interrogation, Monir Hossain confessed to raping the child. Later, when he was taken to court, he gave a confessional statement there too. Later, the suspect was sent to jail on the orders of the court.
He said, "On the day of the incident, the child's father was in Dhaka and the mother was at work in the garments factory. At that time, the child was with the grandmother. The accused then tried to use trickery to rape or attempt to rape the child. However, the matter can only be confirmed after we receive the medical report."
After the child was rescued on the day of the incident, they were taken to the One Stop Crisis Centre at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
