Increase punishment for juvenile offenders: Barguna Court

The Barguna Juvenile Court said that the punishment of juvenile offenders needs to be increased to eradicate the crimes they commit.

The court made the remarks while observing the verdicts of the 14 juvenile accused in the sensational Rifat Sharif murder case in Barguna.

"The number of juvenile offenders in the country is increasing. Criminal godfathers are operating via juveniles because they receive reduced punishments for their crimes," remarked Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Babul, the state's lawyer in the Rifat murder case and a public prosecutor at the Barguna Children's Court.

"So the court opined that the punishments should be increased to eliminate juvenile delinquency," he added.

"These juvenile delinquents serve as accomplices to adult convicted criminals. Inadequate family supervision, lack of a sound moral upbringing, and illiteracy have put these teenagers at risk. If the accused are not given exemplary punishment, the country may witness a surge in the numbers of juvenile delinquents and youth gangs," the court added.

The defendant's lawyer, Golam Mostafa Quader, said, "While commenting on juvenile delinquency in observation of the verdict, the court also said that Minni's immoral and reckless lifestyle played a key role in Rifat's murder."