Nusrat Murder Case,High Court Hearing on Death Reference and Appeals of 16 Convicts Begins Today

Jahangir Alam, Staff Reporter The High Court is set to hold the hearing today, Tuesday (July 28), on the death reference and appeals of the 16 convicts sentenced to death in the sensational Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case of Sonagazi, Feni—a tragedy that shocked the entire nation. ​On October 24, 2019, Judge Mamunur Rashid of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Feni pronounced the verdict in this high-profile case. All 16 accused were sentenced to death, along with a fine of Tk 1 lakh each. ​Subsequently, the death reference was sent to the High Court for approval, while the convicts filed appeals challenging the tribunal's verdict. Following long legal procedures, the formal hearing on the matter begins today in the apex court. ​The 16 death-row convicts are: former principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa SM Siraj-ud-Doula (57), former president of Sonagazi Upazila Awami League Ruhul Amin (55), former municipal councillor and local Awami League leader Maksud Alam (50), Shahadat Hossain Shamim (20), Nur Uddin (20), Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobair (21), Javed Hossain alias Sakhawat Hossain (19), Hafez Abdul Kader (25), Absar Uddin (33), Kamrun Nahar Moni (19), Umme Sultana Poppy (19), Abdur Rahim Sharif (20), Eftekhar Uddin Rana (22), Imran Hossain Mamun (22), Mohiuddin Shakil (20), and Mohammad Shamim (20). ​It may be recalled that on April 6, 2019, Nusrat was set on fire on the rooftop of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa during the Alim examination. succumbing to her severe burn injuries, she passed away on April 10 while undergoing treatment at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Investigations revealed that the horrific murder was carried out in a planned manner after Nusrat refused to withdraw sexual harassment charges against the principal, Siraj-ud-Doula.