A human chain was formed in Santahar of Adamdighi upazila in Bogra, demanding a fair investigation into the brutal murder of six-and-a-half-year-old student Raka Akhter and an attempt to conceal her body.
The hour-long program was held around 10 am yesterday in Railgate area of Santahar Municipality. Relatives, locals and activists participated in the protest.
Speakers at the human chain demanded swift justice and capital punishment for the accused, saying that justice should be ensured as quickly as in other high-profile murder cases.
Earlier on Sunday morning, another human chain was formed at the premises of Shishu Raka’s Madrasa Noorani Islamia Academy in the Yard Colony area, involving teachers, students, guardians and locals.
According to police and local sources, the incident occurred on the afternoon of June 11 in the Sahebpara area of Santahar, when Raka Akhter was allegedly kidnapped by neighbor Banya Begum and her husband Amjad Hossain on her way to private school.
She was reportedly struck on the head and strangled to death over a long-standing dispute. Her gold earrings were also snatched. The body was later concealed in a sack.
The victim’s father, Raihan Uddin Pramanik, filed a murder case with Adamdighi Police Station. Following the incident, locals detained and assaulted three suspects, including Amjad Hossain, Banya Begum and Md Babu, before handing them over to police. Later, another accused, Ayesha Siddika Asha, was also arrested.
Police said Banya Begum gave a confessional statement under Section 164 before a Bogra court on June 13. All four accused have since been sent to jail.
Investigators said the killing stemmed from a long-standing dispute between the two families. Police Inspector (Investigation) Shahidul Islam said Raka used to play with Fatema, the daughter of the accused family. A dispute escalated after a quarrel between the children, followed by retaliatory violence between the families.
Police further said the accused allegedly planned revenge, which led to the abduction and killing of the child.
