Four get life for raping two women in Bogra

A court here yesterday sentenced four people to life imprisonment in a case for raping two women after abduction in Nandigram upazila of the district in 2001.

The convicts are Solaiman Ali Mondol, son of late Osman Ali Mondol, Mohir Uddin, son of late Johir Uddin, Aynal Haque, son of late Azim Uddin Pramanik, and Mozahar Ali, son of Geda Pramanik. They hail from Namuit village in the upazila.

Judge Md Abdul Mannan of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 pronounced the verdict in a crowded courtroom. The tribunal fined each of them Tk 1.25 lakh. In default, they are to suffer one year more in jail, said public prosecutor Naresh Mukharjee.

According to the prosecution, Rosy Khatun, wife of Mintu Mia of the same village, and her sister-in-law Anjuara Begum came out of their house, responding to the call of nature at midnight on October 29, 2001. Solaiman and his accomplices abducted the two and confined them to a house in nearby Singapukur area. The gang raped the two women several times.

The women were released the next evening when the gang realised that the relatives of the victims were searching for them.

Victim Rosy lodged a rape case with Nandigram Police Station on November 6, 2001, accusing the four.

Sub-Inspector Kazi Habibur Rahman of the police station was assigned to investigate the case. Later, the case was transferred to the Detective Branch (DB) police in Bogra. After investigation, Sub-inspector Motiur Rahman submitted a charge sheet to the tribunal, accusing the four on February 27, 2002.