Asiya rape-murder case verdict deferred to August 31

The High Court has deferred the verdict on the death reference (confirmation of death sentence) and appeal in the much-talked-about case involving the rape and murder of eight-year-old Asiya in Magura, setting the new date for Monday, August 31.

The High Court bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice K M Rasheduzzaman Raja passed the order on Tuesday, August 25, after the state side requested more time.

State-appointed lawyer Hafizur Rahman Khan appeared for the accused, while Deputy Attorney General Imam Hossain Tarek represented the state, assisted by Assistant Attorneys General Rohani Siddiqa and Mahbuba Tasnim Akhi.

Earlier, on August 11, the High Court had begun hearing the death reference and the appeal filed by convict Hitu Sheikh.

According to case details, child Asiya fell victim to brutal sexual assault while visiting her sister's in-laws' house in the Nijnanduali village of Magura Sadar upazila in early March 2025. She was first taken to hospitals in Magura and Faridpur in critical condition. As her condition deteriorated, she was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka, where she died on March 13, 2025.

Following the incident and legal proceedings, Magura Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge M Zahid Hasan sentenced main accused Hitu Sheikh (the child's sister's father-in-law) to death on May 17, 2025. The other three accused — Sajib Sheikh, Ratul Sheikh and their mother Zaheda Begum — were acquitted. All trial documents were subsequently sent to the High Court as a death reference.

The High Court has now fixed August 31 for delivering the verdict on the matter.