An eight-year-old girl who was raped while visiting her sister’s in-laws' house in Magura is still unconscious three days after the incident, with doctors saying her condition is critical.
A board of eight specialist doctors, led by the chief surgeon of the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka, was formed on Sunday.
According to CMH hospital sources, infections have spread in the child’s injured areas, with air having entered her lungs.
A chest surgery was performed in the morning to remove the excess air by inserting a tube, they said.
One of the doctors treating the child at CMH told the media that the child has large wounds on her genital area and throat.
She was been strangled with something like a scarf, and strong pressure was applied to her chest, the doctor said.
He added that due to the lack of oxygen in her brain, air entered places in the lungs where it should not have, mentioning that a chest surgery was performed to remove the excess air.
The oxygen deficiency has caused brain damage, the doctor said.
The doctor further said that the child is still unconscious and has been given medication to minimize brain damage.
The infection in her blood is severe, and her blood pressure is difficult to maintain. Overall, her condition remains unstable and critical, he added.
CMH Commandant Brigadier General Md Solaiman said the child’s condition is critical, and every effort is being made to provide the best treatment with careful supervision.
Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury visited CMH to inquire about the child’s treatment.
He instructed the hospital authorities to ensure the highest quality of care.
He also emphasized that the Ministry of Home Affairs is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators are not spared.
"I have instructed law enforcement agencies to take a tough stance against sexual harassment and rape. A list of all violence against women will be compiled and investigated quickly for submission to the court."
Details of the case
The case details reveal that the survivor's older sister married Sajib Hossain, an 18-year-old from the Magura municipal area, four months ago.
Following the marriage, she moved in with her husband, father-in-law Hitu Mia, 42, mother-in-law Jabeeda Begum, 40, and brother-in-law Sheikh, 17.
Since the marriage, the father-in-law had been making immoral advances toward his daughter-in-law, which led to frequent disputes within the family.
Amid this situation, the eight-year-old girl visited her sister’s in-laws' house on March 1.
On Wednesday night, the child slept in the same room as her sister and brother-in-law after dinner.
Around 2:30am, the older sister woke up to find the child lying on the floor.
The child complained that her genital area was burning, but the sister initially dismissed it as sleep talk.
However, at 6am, the child repeated the complaint.
When questioned further, she revealed that her brother-in-law had unlocked the door, while her father-in-law restrained her, took her to his room, and raped her.
She also alleged that when she tried to scream, she was strangled before being thrown back onto the floor in her sister’s room.
Upon hearing this, the older sister attempted to inform their mother via mobile phone, but her husband snatched it away, physically assaulted her, and threatened to kill the child if she spoke out.
The two sisters were then locked in separate rooms.
The next morning, a female neighbour visited the house. When the brother-in-law opened the door, the neighbour tried to revive the child by sprinkling water on her.
As the child’s condition worsened around 10:30am, the mother-in-law, with the help of neighbours, took her to Magura 250-bed hospital, claiming to doctors that the child was possessed.
However, when medical staff and others suspected foul play, the mother-in-law fled from the hospital. The child’s mother arrived later.
Two days after the rape, on Saturday, the child’s mother filed a rape and attempted murder case against four individuals at Magura Sadar police station.
The case accuses the perpetrators under Section 9(4)(k) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act for rape and causing harm through rape.
The section states: "If someone attempts to cause death or harm through rape, the individual will be sentenced to death or life imprisonment, in addition to a monetary fine."
The case includes the child’s brother-in-law Sajib Hossain, 18, his father Hitu Mia, 42, brother Sheikh, 17, and their mother Jabeeda Begum, 40.
All four have been arrested.
A seven-day remand was requested for their interrogation, and the Magura Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court approved it on Sunday.
Court orders removal of images of the child
The High Court has ordered the removal of all pictures, videos, and personal information of the child receiving treatment in Magura from social media, media outlets, and online platforms within 24 hours.
This order was passed by the High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury on Sunday, following the preliminary hearing of a writ petition.
The order has been given to the BTRC and the inspector general of police (IGP) to enforce.
The court has also directed measures to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the child and her 14-year-old older sister within 24 hours.