Dhaka, March 13: The 8-year-old rape victim passed away on Thursday at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Bangladesh’s capital city, Dhaka, after fighting for her life for a week, according to local media reports.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that she died at the CMH around 1:00 pm, reports the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star.

She had suffered several cardiac arrests as of Thursday morning while on life support at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of CMH, according to the office of the interim government’s Chief Advisor.

On Thursday morning, the victim suffered two more cardiac arrests after already experiencing four on Wednesday.

The Bangladesh Army issued a statement on social media on Wednesday and stated that the condition of the 8-year-old remains critical and her blood pressure and oxygen levels are dangerously low.

The army urged people to pray for her, however, the child succumbed to her injuries.

The incident occurred when the victim was raped by her sister’s father-in-law in Magura last week.

The victim, who sustained critical injuries, was initially treated in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital before being transferred to CMH Hospital for advanced care.

In recent days several students and teachers from different universities across the country, including Dhaka University, North South University, Independent University, Bangladesh, and Rajshahi University, demonstrated against the rising rape incidents, including that of the eight-year-old child in Magura, and demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the crime.

Outraged over the rising incidents of gender-based violence across Bangladesh, the ‘University Teachers’ Network’ also held a gathering last week at Dhaka University’s Aparajeyo Bangla, where teachers and students of six universities nationwide participated.

The protestors condemned ongoing violence against women, discussed its root causes, and criticised government failures.

Dhaka University Professor Tasneem Siraj Mahboob called for the dismissal of the Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, instead of his resignation, emphasising that she had demanded this months ago.

“Resignation is an honourable exit. He doesn’t deserve that honour,” leading Bangladeshi daily The Dhaka Tribune quoted her as saying.

The statistics on violence against women in Bangladesh have exposed the grim reality in the country under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime.

Addressing the situation of violence against women in Bangladesh that remained troubling in 2025, with shocking numbers reported in the first two months, Fauzia Moslem, President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, speaking to The Daily Star, said, “Society is descending into chaos, where lawlessness and criminal impunity are growing. The failure of law enforcement, compromises, and lack of accountability are empowering criminals.”

Several cases of violence against women have been reported from across Bangladesh since the Yunus-led interim government came to power in August 2024.

The incompetence of the interim government in curbing gender-based violence sparked public outrage, with many demanding the resignation of Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and holding the interim government led by Yunus accountable for degrading the law and order situation across the nation.

Prayagraj, March 12: The Allahabad High Court has allowed the committee of Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid to paint the outer walls of the mosque. The court partially accepted the application of the mosque committee and ordered that painting can be done only on the outer walls of the mosque.

Apart from this, the High Court said that lighting can also be installed on the outer walls, but this work should be done without damaging any structure.

The mosque committee had filed this petition in the Allahabad High Court, in which they had sought permission to get the painting done. A single bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal ordered this work to be done within a week and directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to ensure it.

This order is based on the argument that the outer walls of the mosque can be beautified, provided no structural changes are made or any historical structure is not damaged.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had refused to give permission to paint the mosque. In the Jama Masjid case, the Muslim side had demanded painting. Actually, a petition was filed in the Allahabad High Court on behalf of the mosque committee. In this petition, they had sought permission to paint the mosque, on which the High Court had asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to submit a report.

New Delhi, March 12: The Government of India has successfully repatriated 266 Indian nationals who were released from cybercrime centres in Southeast Asia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft facilitated their safe return.

Taking to social media platform X, the MEA stated, “Government of India arranged for the safe repatriation of 266 Indians yesterday by an IAF aircraft, who were released from cybercrime centres in South East Asia.”

The ministry also highlighted the efforts of Indian embassies, which worked closely with the governments of Myanmar and Thailand to ensure the safe return of the affected individuals.

This repatriation follows a similar operation on Monday when 283 Indians were brought back from Myanmar. These individuals had been lured to Southeast Asian countries with fraudulent job offers and were subsequently forced into cybercrime and other fraudulent activities at scam centres along the Myanmar-Thailand border.

A press release issued by the MEA emphasised the tireless efforts of Indian embassies in Myanmar and Thailand, which coordinated with local authorities to secure the release of those trapped.

The special IAF aircraft deployed on Monday brought back 283 nationals from Mae Sot, Thailand, marking another significant step in India’s ongoing battle against human trafficking and cybercrime rackets in the region.

Reiterating its advisories, the MEA urged Indian citizens to exercise caution regarding fraudulent job offers. The ministry stressed the importance of verifying foreign employers’ credentials through Indian missions abroad and thoroughly checking recruiting agents and companies before accepting overseas job opportunities.

The Indian government has frequently cautioned its citizens about the dangers of falling prey to unsolicited job offers from unknown sources, as many of these scams have led to individuals being exploited and forced into illegal activities.

The recent repatriation was made possible through collaboration between Indian authorities, Myanmar’s Union authorities, and local groups operating in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar, where several victims had been detained.

The Indian Embassy in Myanmar also acknowledged the success of the operation in a post on X, stating, “In coordination with Myanmar’s Union authorities and local groups, 283 Indian nationals at scam compounds in Myawaddy area of Myanmar were released and repatriated yesterday through Mae Sot in Thailand. Strongly reiterate our advice against such job offers.”

Earlier, on February 11, eight more Indian nationals were deported from Myawaddy scam centres to Mae Sot, Thailand, as part of a larger group of 19 foreigners. At the time, the Indian Embassy in Myanmar had confirmed that 133 Indian nationals had been released. “We reaffirm our warning against job offers in this area,” the embassy stated.

With these recent operations, the Indian government continues its proactive efforts to combat human trafficking and protect its citizens from fraudulent overseas job schemes.