Although three years have elapsed since the gruesome murder of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, her family is still waiting to see the execution of the judgement.
They now demand the intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for speedy implementation of the trial court verdict that handed down death penalty to 16 people.
Nusrat, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Madrasa, was set on fire on April 6, 2019 on the roof of the institution by people loyal to its principal Sirajuddowla, who had been sexually harassing her.
She succumbed to her injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on April 10.
The trial in the much-talked case was completed in a short time, but further procedures have been delayed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
On October 29, 2019, the death references of the death-row convicts reached the High Court, said plaintiff’s lawyer advocate M Shahjahan Saju.
Police take the accused Md Sirajuddaula to custody on Thursday, October 24, 2019 Dhaka TribuneThe Chief Justice formed a bench for hearing the appeal on a priority basis, but later the bench was cancelled due to the Covid situation, he said.
“No new bench has been formed yet to hear the appeal,” he added.
On Saturday, a doa mahfil was held and munajat was offered seeking salvation of her departed soul on the third death anniversary of Nusrat, said her elder brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman.
On Sunday, officials of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) will place wreaths at the grave of Nusrat, according to the family.
“The relatives of the convicts are spreading propaganda on social media including Facebook, Youtube and Instagram defaming our family,” said Noman.
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A case has been filed under the ICT Act against their propaganda. The PBI is investigating the case.
Shirin Akter, mother of Nusrat, said: “We have got justice by the judicial court and I have heard that the condemned convicts filed petitions before the Supreme Court. We are requesting the prime minister to take steps for quick execution of the judgement.”
Crime and Punishment
Nusrat was set on fire on the roof of Sonagazi Islamia Madrasa by people loyal to principal Sirajuddowla on April 6, 2019. She succumbed to her injuries four days later.
The case was filed with Sonagazi police station on April 8. Police pressed charges against 16 people. Twelve of the accused made confessional statements in court.
A tribunal in Feni sentenced the 16 people to death for their roles in killing Nusrat on October 24, 2019.
The tribunal also fined the convicts Tk1 lakh each.
The convicts are madrasa principal SM Sirajuddowla, Awami League leader Ruhul Amin, Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Nur Uddin, Imran Hossain Mamun, Hafez Abdul Quader, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Councillor Maksud Alam alias Moksud, Kamrunnahar Moni, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobair, Javed, Umme Sultana Popy, Mohiuddin Shakil, Mohammad Shamim, Abdur Rahim Sharif and Absar Uddin
On May 10, 2019, Moazzem Hossain, the then officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Model police station, was suspended in connection with the murder.
He was accused of unlawfully interrogating Nusrat and recording it on phone. A video of the interrogation went viral on social media, prompting a lawyer to file a case against him on April 15 under the Digital Security Act.