Chittagong: A tribunal in Chittagong on Monday convicted seven people and sentenced them to life term imprisonment for raping a young girl in 1997.

Chittagong Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 Judge Rezaul Karim handed down the verdict.

The convicts are Abdul Malek, Badar Rahman, Delwar Hossain, Mokter Hossain, Kamal Uddin, Riazur Rahman and Samsuddin of Satkania upazila.

According to the prosecution, the victim, a resident of Chawkbazar Munshi Pukur Par in the city, was going to her aunt’s house in Satkania with her mother and sister by a bus on the night of 22 December 1997.

When the bus reached Dewanhat in Chandanaish upazila bus helper Riazur asked the passengers to get off the bus as it won’t go to Satkania.

As the girl and her family members were waiting for another bus at Dewanhat, Riazur along with eight associates took them to Khagria area tactfully. They raped the girl by turns till morning after tying up her mother and sister with a tree.

On 24 December 24, the victim filed a case accusing eight people with Chandanaish Police Station.

On 16 June 1998, police submitted charge­-sheet against eight people.

Of the accused, Akter Hossain died during the trial.