Court acquits all accused in Banani rape case

A Dhaka court on Thursday acquitted all five accused, including Shafat Ahmed, from the charges of raping two girls in a hotel in the capital’s Banani area in 2017.

Safat Ahmed is son of Apan Jewellers co-owner Dildar Ahmed Selim.

The other accused are Nayeem Ashraf, Safat’s friend Sadman Sakif, Shafat’s driver Billal Hossain and bodyguard Rahmat Ali.

Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7 Judge Begum Kamrunnahar passed the acquittal order in presence of the accused as the prosecution failed to prove the charges brought against them’.

The delivery of the judgment was rescheduled twice-on October 12 and October 27. On June 7, 2017, investigation officer of the case Inspector Ismot Ara submitted a charge sheet to the court against five accused.

On June 19, the tribunal accepted the charge sheet. On May 6, 2017, one of the two abused girls filed the case with Banani Police Station against five persons including Shafat and Sadman Sakif.