Home
+
Published : 17 Jun 2026, 06:38 PM
A Chattogram court has described child sexual abuse as not only a grave violation of rights but an “attack on the moral foundation of society”, while delivering its verdict in a rape case involving a 3-and-a-half-year-old girl in Bakalia.
Chattogram Metropolitan Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Sayeda Hafsa Jhuma, in her observations on Wednesday, termed the offence a heinous crime against humanity.
She said such acts inflict severe physical harm while also damaging a child’s mental development, self-confidence and ability to lead a normal life.
Describing children as the most vulnerable and vital part of society, the judge stressed that ensuring their safety is a shared responsibility of the state, family and society.
She observed that sexual abuse of a child does not only violate individual rights but strikes at the ethical foundation of society itself.
Calling the accused a “disgrace to society”, she added that such offenders pose a threat to law and order.
A native of Cumilla’s Muradnagar Upazila, Monir lived in Miah Khan Nagar of Bakalia and worked at a decorator’s shop nearby.
The judge said, “Monir has no previous criminal record. This is his first crime.”
State-appointed defence lawyer JM Zahid Hossain told bdnews24.com that they are satisfied with the verdict.
However, the child’s family was not completely satisfied with the sentence.
Her grandmother said they had demanded the death penalty for Monir.
According to the case dossier, Monir raped the child in the afternoon of May 21. He was produced before a court the next day, when he “confessed” to the crime.
On Jun 9, Judge Jhuma formally charged Monir and ordered the trial to begin. Witness testimony started the following day. A total of 22 people were listed as witnesses.
On Monday, Monir claimed in his defence statement that he was “innocent”, though no defence witnesses were produced on his behalf.
