The High Court today began hearing the death reference and appeals in the case over the rape and murder of eight-year-old Asiya in Magura in March last year.

The bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja also fixed tomorrow for resuming the hearing.

During the proceedings, Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Imam Hossain Tareq read out from the case documents before the High Court bench, while no lawyer was present for the convicts.

On June 30 last year, another High Court bench accepted for hearing the regular appeal and jail appeal filed by death-row convict Md Hitu Sheikh, 44, against the lower court verdict in the Asiya rape and murder case.

The bench also stayed the portion of the verdict that fined Hitu Sheikh Tk 1 lakh.

On May 17 last year, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Magura sentenced Hitu Sheikh to death for rape and murder.

Hitu’s wife, Jaheda Begum, 38, and sons Ratul Sheikh, 18, and Sajib Sheikh, 20, were acquitted as the charges against them could not be proven. Hitu Sheikh, is the father-in-law of the victim’s sister, while Sajib is the victim’s brother-in-law.

According to the case documents, Asiya went to visit the home of her elder sister’s in-laws in Nijnanduali Mathpara, Magura Sadar, on March 1 last year. She was raped there in the early hours of March 6.

On the same day, she was taken to Magura 250-bed District Hospital in a critical condition and later transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital.

From Faridpur, she was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital that day in an unconscious state and put on life support the following night.

As her condition deteriorated, the child was transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka on March 8. She died at CMH on March 13.

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