The High Court today deferred to August 31 the delivery of its verdict on the death reference and appeals in the case over the rape and murder of eight-year-old Asiya in Magura in March last year.
A bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja, which had been scheduled to deliver the verdict today, passed the order after the attorney general's office sought more time.
Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Imam Hossain Tareq told the court that Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, who had argued for the state, is currently out of the country.
He prayed for the verdict to be delivered after the attorney general returns.
The bench began hearing the matters on August 11, concluded the proceedings yesterday and had fixed August 25 (today) for delivering the verdict.
The case includes a death reference sent by the trial court to the High Court for confirmation of the death sentence handed down to the lone convict, Md Hitu Sheikh, along with two appeals filed by him.
On June 30 last year, another High Court bench accepted for hearing a regular appeal and a jail appeal filed by Hitu against the trial court verdict. The bench also stayed the part of the verdict imposing a Tk 1 lakh fine on him.
On May 17 last year, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Magura sentenced Hitu to death for the rape and murder of Asiya.
His wife, Jaheda Begum, 38, and their sons Ratul Sheikh, 18, and Sajib Sheikh, 20, were acquitted as the charges against them could not be proven.
According to the case documents, Asiya had gone to visit her elder sister's in-laws' home in Nijnanduali Mathpara in Magura Sadar on March 1. She was 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.
On March 8, Asiya's mother filed the case with Magura Sadar Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, accusing Hitu, Jaheda, Sajib and Ratul.
