Trial begins in JnU student Zubayed murder case

A Dhaka court has begun the trial in the murder case of Jagannath University student and Chhatra Dal leader Zubayed Hossain, framing charges against three accused.

Judge Mohammad Mazharul Islam of the Dhaka 15th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order on Sunday (November 8), rejecting the discharge petitions of the accused. The court fixed December 9 for recording witness testimony.

The accused are Barjis Shabnam Barsha, a student of Zubayed; her boyfriend Md Mahir Rahman; and Mahir's friend Fardeen Ahmed Aylan. All three are currently in jail and were produced before the court during the hearing.

Advocate Ishtiaq Hossain Jipu, counsel for the plaintiff, confirmed the development.

On June 30, investigation officer Sub-Inspector Ashraf Hossain of Bangshal Police Station submitted a charge sheet against the three accused. All of them reportedly made confessional statements before the court.

According to the charge sheet, Zubayed(25), a student of the Statistics Department, also worked as a private tutor and had been teaching Barsha at her residence. Investigators found that Barsha was also involved in a relationship with Mahir.

The investigation alleges that Mahir became furious after learning about Barsha's relationship with Zubayed. Barsha allegedly incited Mahir to kill Zubayed, claiming that he possessed her compromising photographs and videos.

Mahir and Aylan allegedly planned the murder, collected a switchblade knife and conducted reconnaissance of the location. Digital evidence reportedly showed that Barsha shared Zubayed's live location with Mahir on WhatsApp shortly before the killing.

On October 19, 2025, Zubayed went to Barsha's residence at Roushan Villa on Noor Box Lane in Bangshal to give private tuition. Mahir allegedly stopped him on the pretext of a conversation and stabbed him in the neck with a switchblade. Zubayed tried to escape upstairs but collapsed on the third-floor staircase and died from excessive blood loss.