Protests erupt in Bangladesh after death of eight-year-old rape victim
Widespread protests broke out across Bangladesh following the death of an eight-year-old girl who was raped earlier this month.
The child succumbed to her injuries on Thursday after being assaulted while visiting her elder sister's home in the city of Magura, with the attack occurring sometime between the night of March 5 and the following morning.
According to a case filed by her mother, the girl was allegedly raped by her sister's 18-year-old husband, who has since been arrested along with his parents and brother. Following the news of the child's death, an enraged mob descended on the home where the assault took place, setting it on fire.
The girl died at approximately 1:00 PM local time after suffering three cardiac arrests during her six-day stay in critical condition at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.
A statement from the government's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) department confirmed that while doctors managed to stabilize her twice, her heart failed to restart after the third episode.
"I thought my daughter would survive," her mother told local media. "If she had made it through, I would never have let her go anywhere alone again."
The girl's body was transported back to Magura via army helicopter and landed at a local stadium, where thousands gathered for her namaz-e-janaza, the Islamic funeral prayer. An additional memorial service was held at Dhaka University, followed by protests and speeches from female students demanding justice.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
03-06-2025
- Roya News
Man convicted for Quran burning outside Turkish consulate in London
A 50-year-old man has been convicted of a religiously aggravated offence after burning a copy of the Quran in front of the Turkish consulate in London earlier this year. Hamit Coskun, who traveled from Derby to Knightsbridge, set fire to the Islamic holy book while making offensive remarks about Islam on February 13. The act, which took place outside the consulate on Rutland Gardens, was deemed both inflammatory and hostile by Westminster Magistrates Court. District Judge John McGarva found Coskun guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence as well as disorderly behaviour, handing down a 240 pound (USD 324) fine and imposing an additional statutory surcharge of 96 pounds (USD 130). In court, Judge McGarva criticized the nature of Coskun's actions, describing them as 'provocative and taunting,' and stated, 'You have a deep-seated hatred of Islam and its followers.' The judge said Coskun's motivations were rooted in personal and familial experiences in Turkey, adding, 'It's not possible to separate your views about the religion from your views about the followers.' He further noted, 'Your actions in burning the Quran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language… motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion.' Coskun, who is of Kurdish and Armenian descent, had argued that his protest was aimed solely at the Turkish government, particularly President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he accused of turning Turkey into a haven for "radical Islamists". Prosecutors cited social media posts where Coskun denounced Erdogan's government and voiced concern about alleged moves toward establishing a 'Sharia regime.' Following his conviction, Coskun issued a statement calling the ruling 'an assault on free speech' and warning that it could discourage others from exercising their rights to protest. His legal defense has received backing from both the National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union (FSU), who have vowed to challenge the verdict through every legal channel. An FSU spokesperson said the organization is prepared to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary, arguing, 'Religious tolerance is an important British value, but it doesn't require non-believers to respect the blasphemy codes of believers.' The case has also drawn attention from political figures. Equalities Minister and Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch took to X, stating, 'De facto blasphemy laws will set this country on the road to ruin. Freedom of belief, and freedom not to believe, are inalienable rights in Britain.' While a spokesperson for the prime minister refrained from commenting on the specific case, they reaffirmed that 'there are no blasphemy laws and no plans to introduce any.' Judge McGarva emphasized in his ruling that the conviction was not an attempt to revive blasphemy laws, which were officially abolished in 2008. He acknowledged that burning a religious book is not inherently unlawful but said the combination of Islamophobic remarks and inflammatory conduct rendered Coskun's actions criminal in this instance. Humanists UK also weighed in, expressing concern about the legal threshold for such prosecutions. A spokesperson stated, 'We must make sure that public order legislation is not used to disproportionately target speech – even offensive speech – on religious matters, thereby chilling legitimate criticism and expression.'
Roya News
02-06-2025
- Roya News
Leaked files confirm Assad regime held missing US journalist Austin Tice
For over a decade, the fate of American journalist Austin Tice remained one of the most enduring mysteries of the Syrian conflict. Now, previously unseen intelligence documents obtained by the BBC provide the first concrete confirmation that Tice was held by Syrian authorities under the leadership of Bashar Al-Assad. The classified materials, verified by both the BBC and law enforcement sources, include internal communications between Syrian intelligence branches. They explicitly name Tice and detail aspects of his imprisonment following his 2012 abduction near Damascus. The findings, along with corroborating testimony from former Syrian officials, offer long-sought clarity about what happened to him in the early days of his disappearance. Tice, a freelance journalist and former US Marine, vanished in August 2012 near Darayya, a suburb of the Syrian capital, just days after turning 31. He had entered the country to report on the escalating civil war. Roughly seven weeks later, a video surfaced online showing Tice blindfolded and reciting an Islamic declaration while surrounded by armed men. Though the clip suggested extremist movements' involvement, US analysts at the time raised doubts about its authenticity, with one official stating the video "may have been staged." Despite years of speculation, no entity ever claimed responsibility for holding Tice. The Syrian government, under Assad, repeatedly denied having any knowledge of his whereabouts. That narrative has now been definitively challenged. One of the documents, stamped 'top secret,' places Tice in a government-run detention facility in Damascus in 2012. Sources familiar with the site identified it as Tahouneh prison. A former high-ranking Syrian intelligence officer confirmed to the BBC that Tice was held there by the National Defence Forces (NDF), a pro-Assad paramilitary group. A Syrian official told the BBC that Tice remained in custody at least until February 2013. During that time, he reportedly suffered from stomach problems and underwent medical treatment, including blood tests that revealed a viral infection. A visitor to the detention center who saw Tice recalled, "He looked sad, and that the joy had gone from his face," though he was said to be treated more humanely than Syrian inmates. In a rare account, a former NDF member with direct knowledge of Tice's detention said that his captors recognized his strategic value, stating that "Austin's value was understood" and that he was viewed as a "card" for potential diplomatic negotiations with the US. Tice allegedly made a brief escape attempt by climbing through a window, but was quickly apprehended. He is believed to have been interrogated at least twice by Syrian intelligence. The BBC's investigation is part of a long-running project that began over a year ago for a Radio 4 podcast. Reporters were granted access to a Syrian intelligence archive while working alongside a Syrian war crimes investigator. The documents they found are the first hard evidence to support long-standing US claims that Tice was in Syrian custody. When Bashar Al-Assad was deposed in December 2024, former US President Joe Biden expressed belief that Tice was still alive. Two days before, his mother Debra Tice shared that a 'significant source' had confirmed her son's survival and claimed he was being 'treated well.' Yet, when prisons across Syria were emptied following the regime's collapse, Tice was not among those released, and his current whereabouts remain unknown. The Tice family, who have led a relentless campaign for answers, are aware of the newly surfaced files, as are US officials and a Syrian group documenting human rights abuses under Assad. Tice, who once served in Iraq and Afghanistan before pursuing a law degree at Georgetown University, is now believed to be one of the longest-held American hostages. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, around 100,000 people were forcibly disappeared during Assad's rule. Tice's case, long marked by silence and uncertainty, now stands as a confirmed chapter in that broader tragedy.
Roya News
01-06-2025
- Roya News
Hamas: Israel took advantage, massacred hungry Palestinians
Hamas condemned the Israeli Occupation for committing a "horrific massacre" after dozens of Palestinians were killed and more than 150 injured early Saturday morning while attempting to collect food aid west of Rafah. According to the group, the victims were responding to a distribution announcement made by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) when they were fired upon in what Hamas called a deliberate and premeditated attack. In a press statement issued Saturday afternoon, Hamas described the "Israeli"-controlled aid distribution system in southern Gaza as a "trap," claiming it is designed to lure hungry civilians before targeting them with live fire. 'This massacre confirms the fascist nature of the occupation,' the group said, adding that the aid centers are being used as 'bait' under the guise of humanitarian assistance. 'Thousands of citizens, already enduring a genocidal war and unprecedented starvation, responded to the occupation's call to receive aid,' the statement read. 'Instead, they were met with brutal gunfire. This was a planned crime.' The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported that at least 35 people were killed, with more than 150 wounded. The incident is the latest in a series of violent episodes surrounding the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid hubs, which operate under the IOF's oversight and have drawn criticism from both local and international organizations. Hamas squarely blamed both "Israel" and the US for the mounting casualties, accusing Washington of backing what it described as a 'bloody mechanism' that uses food aid as a tool of war. 'We hold the Zionist occupation, along with the US administration, fully responsible for the massacres,' the statement declared. The group is calling for an urgent and binding resolution from the UN Security Council to halt the aid system, open Gaza's crossings immediately, and guarantee the flow of humanitarian relief through established UN agencies. It also urged the UN to launch an independent international investigation into what it described as systematic crimes against civilians. Hamas concluded the statement by appealing to Arab and Islamic nations to act swiftly to pressure for an end to what it called a "brutal war of extermination," and to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to the enclave.
