A 20-year-old woman was gang raped by four men in a college dormitory in Sylhet, Bangladesh, while her husband was locked in a nearby room, according to reports. The attack occurred on September 25, 2020, at Murari Chand College. Six years later, a court has sentenced one man to death and three others to life imprisonment.
Attack and Robbery
The victim and her husband were assaulted, robbed of cash and valuables, and had their vehicle seized by the attackers, according to The Daily Star. The husband later filed a police report naming six individuals and two others as unknown. All eight suspects were arrested within days, and DNA tests linked six of them to the crime.
Trial and Sentencing
Local authorities submitted a charge sheet against the eight suspects in December 2021. The trial was moved from the Women and Children's Repression Tribunal to the Speedy Trial Tribunal in May 2023. On July 14, 2026, the Sylhet court delivered its verdict: Saifur Rahman was sentenced to death, while Shah Mahbubur Rahman, Roni, Tarequl Islam (Tareq), and Arjun Laskar received life sentences. Four other accused—Ainuddin alias Ainul, Misbaul Islam alias Rajan, Rabiul, and Mahfuzur Rahman—were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Witness Testimonies
The court heard testimonies from 24 witnesses, including the survivor, her husband, the investigating officer, a forensic expert, a judicial magistrate, and a college professor. The case has drawn attention to the prevalence of gender-based violence in Bangladesh and the legal system's response.
