A Sylhet court on Wednesday fixed January 17 for hearing on charge framing in a case filed over the gang-rape of a woman at MC College.
Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Mohammad Mohitul Haque fixed the date after taking the case into cognisance, said public prosecutor Rashida Syeda Khanam.
Earlier, on Tuesday the tribunal accepted charge-sheet against eight accused in the case.
The plaintiff did not file any objection petition against the charge-sheet.
On December 3, police pressed charges against eight accused in the gang-rape case.
Investigation officer of the case Indranil Bhattacharya submitted the charge-sheet before the court of Sylhet Metropolitan Magistrate Abul Kashem.
According to police, they found the direct involvement of six people in the rape while two abetted in the crime.
The accused who were directly involved in the crime are -- Saifur Rahman, Shah Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman Rony, Tariqul Islam Tarek, Arjun Laskar, Mohammad Ainuddin alias Ainul and Misbaul Islam Rajon.
Rabiul Islam Hasan and Mahfuzur Rahman Masum were indirectly involved.
On November 30, police received the DNA report of the MC College gang rape and found the involvement of some accused arrested over the crime.
Gang Rape at MC College
A group of youths tied up a man and raped his 19-year-old wife at a dormitory of MC College on September 25.
After police rescued the couple, the victim’s husband filed a case at Shahporan Police Station against nine people mentioning the names of six.
Law enforcers arrested eight people who are now in police custody.
On September 30, the High Court formed an investigation committee to look into the incident.
Highest punishment for rape
The rape incident at MC College and another in Noakhali fuelled countrywide protests against sexual violence against women that prompted the government to amend the relevant law with a provision of capital punishment for rape.
The much-talked-about 'Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2020' was then passed in Parliament on November 17 for ensuring the death penalty as the highest punishment for the heinous crime of rape.
From then till Dec 31, the Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) said 160 incidents of rape took place.
Last year, 1,627 women fell victim to rape. Fifty-three of them were murdered after rape and 14 of the victims took their own lives, according to ASK.
But the actual number is believed to be higher as many victims choose not to report assaults fearing for their safety.
