Two to die, four get life, 10 cleared

The High Court (HC) on Monday upheld the death sentences of two convicts �" former principal of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa SM Siraj-ud-Doula and his close aide Shahadat Hossain Shamim �" in the much-talked-about 2019 murder case of madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

The HC also commuted the death sentences of four convicts to life imprisonment and acquitted 10 others who had previously been sentenced to death by a lower court.

In an extraordinary directive, the HC bench directed the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to withdraw the judicial power of Senior District Judge Mamun Ur Rashid, observing that he had imposed ‘mindless and irresponsible’ death sentences on several accused who had no involvement in Nusrat’s killing in Feni. It directed the ministry to attach him to the ministry.

The HC bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja pronounced the verdict after 17 working days of hearings on the death reference and appeals filed by the convicts challenging the trial court verdict.

Nusrat, then a 19-year-old student of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa, was allegedly sexually harassed by the then madrasa principal, SM Siraj-ud-Doula, on March 27, 2019. Her mother filed a case against Siraj, who was later arrested and sent to jail.

Siraj’s accomplices allegedly took Nusrat to the madrasa roof and set her on fire on April 6, 2019. She died from her injuries on April 10.

Mamunur Rashid, then judge of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Feni, on October 24, 2019 handed down death sentences to all 16 accused, including Siraj and two expelled local Awami League leaders, in the case filed over Nusrat’s killing.

In its verdict, the HC bench upheld the death sentences of SM Siraj-ud-Doula and Md Shahadat Hossain Shamim.

It commuted the sentences of Md Nur Uddin, Saifur Rahman Md Zubayer, Jabed Hossain and Umme Sultana Popi to life imprisonment.

The court acquitted Maksud Alam, Hafez Abdul Kader, Md Afsar Uddin, Qamrunnahar Moni, Abdur Rahim Sharif, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Imran Hossain, Md Shamim, Ruhul Amin and Mohiuddin Shakil.

Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal said the High Court made a significant observation about the trial court’s verdict, describing the sentencing of all 16 accused to death in a single murder case as a “mindless sentence”.

Nusrat’s family has expressed satisfaction with the High Court’s decision on the appeals over her murder.

Reacting to the verdict on Monday, Nusrat’s mother Shirin Akhter said, “We respect the court. We are satisfied with the verdict given by the High Court. We are satisfied that the court said she was murdered. We are content with that.

“But my family is being threatened. Now we just need security.”