A court, on Wednesday, sentenced to death eight Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists, for the murder of tailor Biswajit Das, 24, at Shankharibazar in Old Dhaka a year ago.
Judge ABM Nizamul Haque of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 also awarded life terms to 13 others for the daylight killing that had shocked the whole nation.
Delivering the verdict in a jam-packed courtroom around 12.25 pm, the judge observed that Biswajit’s murder was different from other such cases, given the gruesomeness and brutality of the crime. “Considering the gravity of the offences, the tribunal thinks justice would be served by awarding death penalty to the accused,” the judge said.
Most of those convicted were former students of Jagannath University and involved in Awami League politics.
The judge said it would be unjust for the victim’s family, if the convicts were freed, because of their political affiliations. “If the convicts are released without justice, such kind of gruesome killings will take place across the country from time to time,” he added.
Those awarded the death sentence are Rafiqul Islam Shakil, Rajan Talukdar, Mahfuzur Rahman alias Nahid, Emdadul Haque alias Emdad, GM Rasheduzzaman alias Shaon, Mir Mohammad Noor-e-Alam alias Limon, Md Shaiful Islam and Kayyum Mia alias Tipu. Of them, Talukdar and Limon are on the run.
Those sentenced to life in prison are Golam Mostafa, AHM Kibria, Yunus Ali, Tarik Bin Johor Tomal, Alauddin, Obaidur Qader Tahsin, Imran Hossain, Azizur Rahman, Al-Amin, Rafiqul Islam, Kamrul Hasan, Monirul Haque Pavel, and Mosharraf Hossain. Execept Mostofa and Kibria, the rest have been absconding since the killing. Those given life sentences were also fined Tk 20,000 each.
Public prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam expressed satisfaction over the verdict. “Considering the gravity of the offence, the court rightfully awarded the death penalty and life sentences to the convicts, in accordance with Section 302 of the penal code,” he told the media.
On the other hand, defence counsel Mosarraf Hossain said the court had mistakenly sentenced his clients to death. “We will file an appeal in the High Court against the verdict,” he added.
Jagannath University (JnU) students had stabbed Biswajit repeatedly in full public view, when the victim was going towards Amontron tailoring shop at Shankharibazar during an opposition road-blockade programme on December 9, 2012.
Following a massive outcry over the brazenness of the crime, SI Jalal Uddin of Sutrapur police station had filed a murder case against a group of BCL leaders and activists. Later, JnU authorities expelled the accused students, after their photos were published in newspapers, during police investigation.
Earlier this year, the case was transferred to Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-4, from the Dhaka District Judge’s Court, in order to expedite the trial.
Soon after, the case was shifted to Detective Branch of police, and inspector Tajul Islam was assigned as the new investigation officer.
On March 5, Tajul Islam submitted the charge sheet against 21 BCL actok thanivists. On April 4, the metropolitan magistrate took cognisance of the charge sheet, and issued arrest warrants against the accused.
The trial began on June 14 with deposition of the complainant, SI Jalal Uddin.
Later, Tajul Islam deposed to the court: “BCL activists from the procession shouted ‘Grab him, grab him’ and chased Biswajit up to the Intensive Dental Care’s first floor. There, Shakil, Yunus and Rajan slashed him with machetes and swords. Then, the victim was brought to the ground floor, where the other accused, including Emdad, Nahid and Kaium, beat him with metal rods and sticks.”
Biswajit’s father, Ananta Chandra Das, and brother Uttam Kumar Das testified in September, and demanded death penalty for the killers.
The court also recorded the statement of rickshaw puller Ripon Sarkar, who deposed that Biswajit had tried to run away despite serious injuries, but fell down at Shankharibazar Lane. Sarkar rushed the critically injured victim to Mitford Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Sarkar, who appeared as a prosecution witness, also identified eight of those arrested, at the tribunal.
Earlier, the defence lawyer had tried to defer the trial by filing a petition in the High Court for suspending the trial against six of the accused. The High Court rejected the plea.
The court, on Wednesday, ordered defence lawyer Syed Shah Alam to pay Tk. 1,000 for obstructing the trial process.
On October 24, the tribunal had completed recording of statements of 33 out of the 60 prosecution witnesses. After hearing the final arguments on December 4, the court had set Wednesday for delivering the verdict.
Coincidentally, Biswajit was killed during an opposition blockade programme and his killers were sentenced on a day marked by a similar agitation.
-With The Independent input
