Australian tourist rape attempt: Three sentenced to 10 years in Cox's Bazar

A court in Cox's Bazar has sentenced three men to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each for attempting to rape an Australian woman tourist. Each has also been fined Tk 50,000, with an additional month of simple imprisonment in default of payment.

The verdict was delivered on Monday, July 6, by Judge Rokeya Akhter of Cox's Bazar Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-2.

According to court bench assistant Md Shameem, the court delivered the verdict after reviewing the testimony of six witnesses and the evidence presented. The convicted accused were not present in court during the verdict.

The convicts are Md Ancharullah, 29, Abdul Gofur, 26, and Belal Uddin, 36, residents of Pecher Dwip area in Khuniapalong union, Ramu upazila. Another accused, cottage owner Kaiyumul Haque Chowdhury, was acquitted as charges against him were not proven.

State prosecutor Mir Mosharraf Hossain Titu represented the state, while Mohiuddin Moyeen represented the accused.

In the verdict, the judge observed that the charges against the accused had been proven beyond reasonable doubt under sections 9(4)(b)/30 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000.

According to case documents, an Australian woman tourist arrived in Bangladesh on a visa-on-arrival on December 8, 2019. On December 14, she checked into a cottage next to Mermaid Beach Resort near Pecher Dwip in Cox's Bazar. Two days later, in the dead of night, the three accused entered the cottage, covered her mouth while she was sleeping and attempted to rape her. She was injured during the struggle. She ran out of the cottage screaming, and the attackers fled.

The victim called the national emergency helpline 999 for assistance. Ramu Police Station officials arrived at the scene, rescued her and arranged for her medical treatment.

Investigation revealed that the cottage's security guard, Abdul Gofur, and Belal had been called to the spot. They initially entered the cottage to commit theft but later attempted to rape the tourist.

The case was filed by the then Sub-Inspector of Himchhari Police Outpost, Swarup Kanti Dash. During investigation, Ancharullah and Abdul Gofur were arrested and confessed to their involvement.