Madrasah teacher sentenced to death for raping 11-year-old girl in Netrokona

A court in Netrokona has sentenced a madrasah teacher to death for raping an 11-year-old girl, resulting in her pregnancy, and ordered the state to take full responsibility for her child's maintenance, education and upbringing, Prothom Alo reports.

Netrokona Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge and District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Abdus Salam delivered the verdict today (11 November).

The convict, Aman Ullah Mahmudi, 30, was also fined Tk1 lakh.

The other accused, the convict's elder brother, Maimon alias Mamun Mia, was acquitted as the allegation of intimidation against him had not been proven.

The two were present in court when the verdict was announced.

State lawyer Nurul Kabir said the trial was completed in 60 working days, with testimonies from 10 witnesses.

A key piece of scientific evidence was a DNA test report from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which found a 99.99% match between the DNA of the newborn delivered by the victim and that of the teacher.

According to court sources and the case statement, the girl had been living at her maternal grandfather's house in Madan Upazila of Netrokona and studying at the madrasah after her parents separated. Her mother worked as a domestic worker in Sylhet.

After the girl fell ill and her body began showing physical changes, her mother returned home.

On 18 April, medical tests at a clinic in Madan municipal town confirmed that the girl was pregnant. She later told her family that she had been raped.

On 23 April, the girl's mother filed a case against Aman Ullah Mahmudi and his elder brother over the incident.

Police arrested Aman Ullah from Gauripur in Mymensingh on 6 May. His DNA sample was later collected following a court order.

Considering the girl's safety and future, the court ordered on 12 May that she be sent to a safe home in Sylhet under the Department of Social Services.

She gave birth to a baby girl there on 2 July. Samples from the newborn and her mother were later collected under a court order for forensic examination. The test found a 99.99% DNA match between the newborn and the accused teacher.

On 27 August, the investigation officer, Madan Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Akhtaruzzaman, submitted a charge sheet against Aman Ullah and his elder brother.

After hearing arguments in the case on 28 September, the court fixed today for delivering the verdict.