Parents reject HC verdict commuting death sentences in Rakib murder

The High Court has commuted the death sentences of two men, convicted in the murder of 12-year-old Rakibul Islam Rakib, to life imprisonment. A High Court bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Md Jahangir Hossain gave the order on Monday. Rakib’s parents, however, are unwilling to accept the judgment and have decided to move a review petition against it to the Supreme Court. Md Nurul Alam, Rakib’s father, told reporters: “We expected the High Court to uphold the death penalty and order its quick execution. But the penalty has been commuted to life imprisonment instead. This is unacceptable.” Nurul said he would move a review petition to the Supreme Court. On November 8, 2015, a Khulna court sentenced to death two people – Sharif Motors’ owner Sharif and his uncle Mintu – and acquitted Sharif’s mother Beauty Begum in the murder case. The boy was viciously killed in Khulna city’s Tutpara area on August 3 that year because he had left his job at their garage and taken up work elsewhere. His former employers pumped air through his rectum to kill him. Following the death, outraged locals vandalised the garage and assaulted the three before handing them over to the police. The next day, Rakib’s father lodged a murder case with the sadar police station against the trio.