Death penalty
4 to die for killing headmaster in Shariatpur
Four people were sentenced to death and nine others to life term imprisonment by a tribunal in Shariatpur on Wednesday for killing a headmaster of a school in 2010.
The condemned convicts are-Nuruzzaman Khan, Jahangir Matbar, Zulhas Matbor and Chan Mia of Sadar upazila in Shariatpur district. The court also fined them Tk 20,000 each.
Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 Judge Mohammad Monir Kamal handed down the verdict.
The lifers are Abdul Halim Molla, Azizul Matbar, Faruk Khan, azahar Matbar, Mizan Mir, Akter Gazi, Jalil Matbar, Emdad Matbar and Lal Mia of Sadar upazila in Shariatpur district. The court also fined them Tk 20,000 each, in default, to suffer six months more in jail.
According to the prosecution, Abdus Samad Azad, headmaster of Chikondi Saraf Ali High School, was stabbed to death by the convicts in Santoshpur Bus stand area in Sadar upazila on January 15, 2010.
Read: HC upholds death penalty in mother-daughter murder in Ctg
A case was filed in this connection with Palong Police Station.
On August 14, 2010, police submitted chargesheet against 17 people.
On May 11, 2011, sub-inspector Sultan Mahmud submitted a chargesheet against 19 people after the plaintiff filed a ‘naraji petition’.
Shariatpur Senior Sessions Judge framed charges against the accused on January 20, 2016.
On April 9, 2018, the case was shifted to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal .
2 get death penalty for killing college student in Barishal
A court in Barisal on Wednesday sentenced two people to death and four others to life imprisonment in a case over the murder of a college student.
Those who got death penalty are Ziaul Haque Lalon and Riyadh Sardar while the lifers are Mamun, Imran, Biplob and Wasim Sardar.
Barisal Public Safety Disturbance Crime Prevention Tribunal Judge TM Musa delivered the verdict.
The court also acquitted 10 other accused as their guilt was not proved.
Read: Man gets death penalty for killing 4 of a family
However, victim’s father Farooq Hossain Serniabat said those who got acquittal were also involved in the murder. “Once I get the copy of the full verdict, I will appeal to the High Court.”
According to the case, Sohag Serniabat, son of Mohammad Hossain Serniabat of Uzirpur Municipal area of Barisal, was stabbed to death on September 4 in 2014. Earlier, the accused vandalized the business establishment of Sohag for extortion of Tk 1 lakh.
Later, Khorshed Alam, uncle of the deceased, filed a case against 13 people with Wazirpur police station. Following investigation, police submitted a chargesheet on November 22 of the same year.
Man gets death penalty for killing 4 of a family
A court here on Tuesday sentenced a man to death in a case filed over killing his elder brother and three members of his family last year.
The convict is Raihanur Rahman, 36, son of Shahjahan of Khalisha village in Kalaroa upazila of the district.
Read:Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape
Satkhira Senior District and Sessions Judge Sheikh Mafizur Rahman handed down the verdict.
According to the prosecution, Raihanur was unemployed and used to depend on his elder brother Shahinur. Raihanur and Shahinur’s wife Sabina Khatun had been at loggerheads over the issue.
On October 14, 2020, Raihanur stabbed Shahinur Rahman, 40, Sabina Khatun, 30, their two children—Siam Hossain Mahi, 10 and Tasnim Sultana, 8, to death after tying up their hands and legs.
Read:Man gets death penalty for carrying heroin in Gaibandha
Moyna Khatun, mother-in-law of Shahinur, filed a case in this connection.
Later, a team of Criminal Investigation Department arrested Raihanur and three others in this connection.
Raihanur gave his confessional statements under section 164.
Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence of one convict and commuted that of three others to life term imprisonment in a case filed for killing a child after rape in 2004.
A five-member virtual bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing separate petitions.
Read: Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape
The court upheld the death sentence of Shukur Ali, son of Khayer Ali of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia.
The three other convicts whose death sentence has been commuted are-Azanur Rahman, son of Abu Taleb, Nuruddin Sentu, son of Pijab Uddin and Mamun Hossain, son of Sirajul Pramanik of the same upazila.
Advocate SM Shahjahan and Barrister Ragib Rauf Chowdhury stood for the petitioners while deputy attorney general Biswajit Debnath represented the state.
According to the prosecution, the convicts abducted a 13-year-old girl on March 25, 2004 while she was returning home after watching TV from a neighbour’s house at Lalnagar village in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia district.
Read: Man gets death penalty for carrying heroin in Gaibandha
Later, they took the girl to a tobacco field and raped her in turns. They also killed the girl.
Victim’s father filed a case on the following day against five people with Doulatpur Police Station.
On February 4, 2009, Kushtia Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Akbar Hossain sentenced five people to death in the case.
During the trial proceedings, another convict Kamu alias Quamrul, son of Abdul Goni died.
In 2014, the High Court upheld the death sentence of four convicts.
HC releases full text of verdict upholding death penalty of 10 militants
The High Court on Monday released the full text its earlier verdict upholding the death sentences to 10 militants over the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2000.
The 86-page text was released after the signing of the verdict by HC Justices Jahangir Hossain and Md Badruzzaman who pronounced the verdict virtually on February 17.
The attempt was made in Kotalipara in Gopalganj district.
Also read: Sheikh Hasina's convoy attack: Ex-BNP MP, 2 others get 10-yr imprisonment
In the verdict the HC said “The convicts were unwilling to abide by the law of the land. Besides, their plan to kill Sheikh Hasina by planting two bombs is terrible crime and we do not support to commute the punishment of some convicts.”
Deputy Attorney General Dr Mohammad Bashirullah, said “The HC has made some observation about some misguided thoughts of the militants. They believe that a woman can’t be the prime minister of an Islamic country”
The death- row convicts are: Asim Akter alias Tarek Hossain, Md Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Yusuf alias Moshab Morol, Sheikh Farid alias Maulana Shawkat Osman, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Abu Bakar, Hafez Maulana Yahiya, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye and Maulana Abdur Rouf.
Also read: Attack on Sheikh Hasina: SC stays bail of 7 accused
The HC also acquitted Sarwar Hosain who was awarded 14 years’ imprisonment by the lower court.
Besides, the HC issued a directive to release Mahibullah alias Mafizur Rahman who got 14 years’ imprisonment as he has already served the jail term.
The HC upheld the life term and 14 years’ imprisonment of Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud and Anisul alias Anis, respectively.
On August 20, 2017, the Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 in Dhaka sentenced 10 people to death in the case.
Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud, one of the accused, got life term jail and was fined Tk 10,000 in the case.
The court also gave 14 years’ rigorous imprisonment to three other accused, including Md Anisul Islam alias Anis, and fined them Tk 10,000 each.
A total of 10 people, including Khandaker Kamal Uddin, were also acquitted from the murder attempt charge.
The same court also gave nine people to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined them Tk 20,000 each in another case filed under Explosive Substances Act over the unearthing of 76 kg explosives near the rally venue of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in 2000.
Those sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment are Md Yusuf alias Moshab Morol, Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud, Asim Akter alias Tarek Hossain, Md Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman, Mahmud Azhar, Md Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Shah Newaz and Sheikh Md Enamul Haque.
Police recovered a 76-kilogram bomb from near a shop adjacent to Sheikh Lutfur Rahman Govt High School on July 20, 2000 where Sheikh Hasina was supposed to address a rally on July 22 same year.
Another 40-kg heavy bomb was also recovered by an Army bomb expert squad from near the Kotalipara helipad on July 23, 2000.
Nur Hossain, sub-inspector of Kotalipara Police Station, filed a case under the Explosive Substances Act in connection with the bomb recovery incidents.
Police pressed charges against 16 people, including executed Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, on April 8, 2001.
On June 29, 2009, police submitted a complementary charge sheet implicating nine more people.
The case was shifted to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal in 2010.
Meanwhile, Mufti Hannan was executed on April 12, 2017 over the grenade attack on then UK High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury at Shahjalal Shrine in Sylhet in 2004.
Trump administration plans 2nd execution as many days
The Trump administration plans to continue its unprecedented series of post-election federal executions Friday by putting to death a Louisiana truck driver who severely abused his 2-year-old daughter for weeks in 2002, then killed her by slamming her head against a truck’s windows and dashboard.
Bill seeking death sentence for rape lands in Parliament
The much-talked-about 'Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2020' was introduced in Parliament on Sunday, stipulating the death penalty as the maximum punishment in rape cases.
Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape
In the wake of widespread protests against the growing incidents of rape in the country, the President has promulgated an ordinance allowing death penalty as the highest punishment for rape instead of life term imprisonment.
Death penalty to deter rape: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Monday said the incidents of rape will decrease as death penalty has been incorporated in the law as the highest punishment for the crime.
‘Go to the gallows if you rape’; Cabinet approves draft law
Amid widespread protests against the growing incidents of rape in the country, the government has planned to enact a law with a provision of death penalty as the highest punishment for the heinous crime.