The Supreme Court has upheld death penalty for domestic help Shahidul Islam alias Shahid rejecting his review petition in a case filed over the rape and murder of Shazneen Tasnim Rahman.
A three-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order Sunday morning, Shahid’s lawyer Monoj Kumar Bhowmik confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.
Shazneen, a 15-year-old Scholastica student and the youngest daughter of Transcom Limited Chairman Latifur Rahman, was raped and killed in her Gulshan house on April 23, 1998.
The Criminal Investigation Department of the police investigated the sensational murder and pressed charges against the six on December 12, 1998. The trial began on July 9, 2000.
On September 2, 2003, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced all the six accused including Shahid to death. The others are Syed Sajjad Mainuddin Hasan, a contractor who was appointed to repair the house; Sajjad’s assistant Badal; carpenter Shaniram Mandal; and two maids – Estema Khatun Minu and Parvin.
After hearing their appeals, the High Court on July 10, 2006 acquitted Shaniram but upheld the death sentences for others.
On August 2, 2016, the Appellate Division and upheld the death sentence for Shahid, and acquitted the four others. Shahid then filed a petition seeking review of the judgement.
The lone convict may seek presidential clemency after the full verdict of Sunday's order is published. If Shahid does not seek clemency admitting the crimes or if the mercy petition is rejected, he will be executed as per the tribunal's order.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
