Despite the tireless efforts of doctors, the seven-year-old rape survivor from Magura, Bangladesh, could not be saved. She had been undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka since March 8 but succumbed to her injuries on Thursday afternoon.
Doctors reported that although she was admitted in an unconscious state, she briefly opened her eyes on Wednesday, offering a glimmer of hope to medical teams and the public.
However, on Thursday morning, she suffered three consecutive heart attacks. Despite doctors reviving her twice, she could not survive the third. For nearly a week, people across Bangladesh had been praying for her recovery, while social media was flooded with demands for justice. In response to growing public concern, CMH Dhaka had been issuing hourly updates on her condition.
The Bangladesh High Court intervened, ordering the government to ensure the highest level of medical care for her. The court also directed authorities to remove her pictures from social media to protect her dignity and instructed doctors to exercise extreme caution in her treatment.
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in India, expressed deep concern over the rise in sexual violence, particularly in Magura. In an online address, she criticised the Yunus government, accusing law enforcement of focusing on political arrests rather than tackling crimes like rape, which she argued had emboldened criminals.
Medical examinations revealed that the child had suffered severe internal injuries, including trapped air in her chest, which required urgent medical intervention. She was placed on ventilation, but her condition deteriorated rapidly.
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The tragic incident occurred in Magura, where the young girl had gone to visit her sister’s home. According to the complaint filed by her parents, she was brutally assaulted by her brother-in-law’s father. The crime sparked nationwide outrage, with protests erupting against alleged police negligence and an attempted cover-up.
In an effort to address the growing crisis surrounding the surge in sexual violence since Hasina’s removal, Bangladesh’s interim government announced that investigations into rape and sexual assault cases would be concluded within 15 days, with trials completed within 90 days.
However, these assurances failed to quell the anger, and protests continued to spread from Magura to Dhaka and other major cities. Demonstrators demanded immediate justice and harsher punishments for perpetrators.
Tensions escalated further when enraged protesters gathered outside the court premises, demanding that the accused be handed over to them. Fearing potential mob violence, authorities secretly transported the suspects under heavy security in the middle of the night.
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