Hitu Sheikh's death sentence in child Asiya murder upheld

The High Court has upheld the death sentence of  Hitu Sheikh in the case over the rape and murder of eight-year-old Asiya in Magura.

After holding hearing on the death reference and appeals, an HC bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja pronounced the judgement.

According to the case statements, Asiya had gone to visit her elder sister's in-laws' home in Nijnanduali Mathpara in Magura Sadar on March 1. She was brutally raped there in the early hours of March 6 and was taken to Magura 250-bed District Hospital in a critical condition.

She was later transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she was put on life support. As her condition deteriorated, she was transferred to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on March 8, where she died on March 13.

Asiya's mother filed the case with Magura Sadar Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act on March 8 accusing Hitu, Jaheda, Sajib and Ratul.