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Published : 06 Jul 2026, 05:33 PM
The High Court has commuted the death sentences of two convicts to life in prison and acquitted two others in a case over the rape and murder of a fifth-grade schoolgirl Rima Akter in Shariatpur's Jazira.
The bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja delivered the verdict on Monday, setting aside the trial court's death sentences for four convicts.
The court sentenced Nuru Morol and Chunnu Morol to life in prison under Section 9(3) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act after reviewing the evidence and the convicts' confessional statements. It acquitted the other two death-row convicts, Swapna Begum and Selim Chowkidar, citing a lack of evidence proving their direct involvement in the crime.
Deputy Attorney General Syed Ejaz Kabir and Assistant Attorney General Ashraful Alam represented the state, while senior Supreme Court lawyer SM Shahjahan appeared for the defence.
According to the case dossier, 13-year-old Rima Akter was a fifth-grade student at Naodoba Hat Government Primary School in Jazira. As she had a habit of chewing betel leaves, she frequently visited the house of Swapna Begum, the second wife of her neighbour Chunnu Morol.
In the primary complaint, Rima's father alleged that immoral activities regularly took place at Swapna's house, where Nuru Morol and others used yaba and held gambling sessions. He claimed the accused became hostile towards Rima after she witnessed those activities and had repeatedly threatened and provoked her.
Rima went missing on the evening of Sept 11, 2017. After an extensive search by relatives and neighbours, her decomposed body was recovered on Sept 13 from an abandoned homestead belonging to Khokon Hawlader in Majid Hawlader Kandi village. The body had been covered with jute sticks.
The prosecution said Rima's body was found with a Gamchha or local towel wrapped around her neck, suggesting strangulation. There was also a deep wound between her breasts and her abdomen had been slashed open, with her intestines exposed.
On Sept 14, 2017, her father, Ilias Chokdar, filed a case with Jazira Police Station, naming five suspects: Swapna Begum, Nuru Morol, Al-Amin, Sumon alias Tiger, and Josna Begum. The complaint also alleged that the named suspects, along with unidentified accomplices, had carried out the murder as part of a premeditated plan.
During the trial, however, Rima's parents and other relatives did not support the allegations made in the FIR.
Testifying as the prosecution's first witness, Ilias told the court that his daughter had led "an uncontrolled lifestyle" and that he did not know who had killed her or how. He said he had no allegations against the accused and had no objection to their acquittal.
Rima's mother, Nargis Akter, echoed the same position while testifying as the second prosecution witness. She told the court that her daughter had been out of control and that the accused were not involved in the murder. She also said she had no objection if they were acquitted.
The fourth prosecution witness, Md Tayem Bepari, and the sixth prosecution witness, Rima's maternal uncle, Shukur Dhali, also testified before the court. In their depositions, both described Rima as "unruly". They told the court that although they had advised her to behave modestly, she paid no heed to anyone.
The two witnesses also testified that the accused had no involvement in the incident and informed the court that they had no objection if the accused were acquitted.
Earlier, on May 7, 2019, Judge A Salam Khan of the Shariatpur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal delivered the trial court’s verdict in the case.
Finding the charges proven beyond reasonable doubt under Sections 9(3) and 9(3)/30 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 (amended in 2003), the tribunal sentenced Nuru Morol, Chunnu Morol, Selim Chowkidar and Swapna Begum to death, the maximum punishment prescribed by law. The court also fined each of them Tk 100,000.
