High Court to hear appeals in Nusrat murder case today

The High Court is set to begin hearing the death references and appeals of 16 convicts sentenced to death in the 2019 murder of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

The case has been placed before a special bench formed by the Chief Justice to expedite hearings in high-profile cases involving the rape and murder of women and children. Under Bangladeshi law, death sentences handed down by trial courts require High Court confirmation before they can be carried out.

Nusrat was set on fire on April 6, 2019, after refusing to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint against her madrasa principal. She died from her burn injuries four days later. In October 2019, a Feni tribunal sentenced 16 people to death, including former madrasa principal SM Siraj Ud-Daula and several local political figures.

Alongside the mandatory death reference, the High Court will also hear appeals filed by the convicted individuals against their sentences.