Child Rape Case Leads to Death in Bangladesh; Yunus Expresses Grief

Dhaka — The recent incident in Bangladesh, where an eight-year-old girl died following a rape, has triggered significant public and legal responses, with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus playing a key role in official reactions. This report provides a comprehensive overview, expanding on the key points and integrating additional context for a thorough understanding, set on March 15, 2025.

An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped recently while visiting her elder sister’s house in Magura, Bangladesh. Her mother filed a case, leading to the arrest of her sister’s 18-year-old husband, his parents, and his brother, who are now on remand. The girl was admitted to Dhaka’s Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in critical condition and died shortly after after three cardiac arrests, despite medical efforts to stabilize her.

The Daily Star noted that Mohammed Yunus, Chief Adviser, “expressed deep sorrow over the incident and has instructed the authorities concerned to bring the perpetrators to justice without delay.”

Similarly, The Business Standard reported that he “expressed deep shock at her death and called for a swift trial of the accused.” Jagonews24 added that Yunus “ordered bringing the accused to book through speedy trial,” as stated by his Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir.

Public demands for justice, as protests erupted nationwide following the girl’s death

Yunus’s statements align with public demands for justice, as protests erupted nationwide following the girl’s death, with calls for the death penalty and legal reforms. His instruction for a speedy trial reflects the government’s response to public outrage, especially given the High Court’s order to complete the investigation in 30 days and the trial in 180 days, as reported by bdnews24.com.

This legal directive, combined with Yunus’s call for action, underscores the urgency of the situation.

Bangladesh’s 2020 law mandates capital punishment for child rape, but enforcement remains a challenge, with calls for faster trials and better implementation, as seen in recent protests. Data from the Law and Arbitration Center reveals 3,438 child rape cases over the past eight years, with 539 victims under six and 933 aged seven to twelve, underscoring the scale of the issue, as per The Times of India.