I will find peace only when Hitu is executed: Asia’s mother

The High Court has upheld the death sentence of Hitu Sheikh in the widely discussed rape and murder case of eight-year-old Asia in Magura, prompting the child’s mother to call for the punishment to be carried out without delay.

Speaking to local journalists after Monday’s (August 31) verdict, Asia’s mother, Ayesha Akter, broke down in tears and said she would not find peace until Hitu’s execution was carried out.

“I will have peace only when I hear that Hitu Sheikh has been executed,” she said, adding that she wanted the punishment enforced quickly so that no other child or family would have to endure similar suffering.

Ayesha also appealed to the government to ensure the safety of her family, saying she remained frightened following the death sentence. She expressed concern that Hitu’s sons might try to harm her family and urged the authorities to keep them under surveillance.

The verdict was delivered by a High Court bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja after a hearing lasting around one and a half hours.

After the ruling, Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal said justice had been served through the High Court’s decision in the rape and murder case.

According to case documents, Achiya was raped on the night of March 5, 2025, while visiting her sister’s home in Nijnanduali, Magura town, during the Ramadan vacation. Hitu Sheikh, the father-in-law of Achiya’s sister, was accused of raping the child and attempting to kill her.

Achiya was critically injured and taken to Dhaka for treatment. She died at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on March 13, 2025.

Her mother filed the case against Hitu and three others. Police subsequently arrested all four accused.

The police submitted the charge sheet on April 13, 2025, and the trial began on April 23 after charges were framed. The prosecution examined 29 witnesses, with the trial court completing the proceedings in just 13 working days.

On May 17, 2025, the Magura Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced Hitu to death and fined him Tk 100,000. The court acquitted the other three accused—Sajib Sheikh, his younger brother and their mother, Zaheda Begum.

The trial court later sent the case records to the High Court for confirmation of the death sentence, while Hitu also appealed against the verdict.

With the High Court now upholding the death sentence, Achiya’s family is awaiting its execution. Her mother has also sought government assistance to protect her family from possible retaliation.