The gruesome seven post-abduction murders in Narayanganj saw their 10th anniversary pass on Saturday. The verdict in the case was pronounced in 2017.
But the execution of the verdict still remains elusive for the victims’ near and dear ones.
On April 27, 2014, the seven people were first kidnapped and they were later found dead in the Shitalakshya River.
A lower court in Narayanganj in 2017 handed down death penalties to 26 accused, while nine others were sentenced to different jail terms.
In 2018, the High Court upheld capital punishment for 15 and commuted the capital punishment of the remaining 11 to life imprisonment.
But the case has been awaiting disposal at the Appellate Division for the last five years and a half, drawing ire from the victims’ relatives.
Those who were sentenced to death by both courts include RAB-11 former commander Lt Col (ret) Tarek Sayeed Mohammad, former RAB company commander Major Arif Hossain, Lt Col (dismissed) M Masud Rana and former Nayaranganj City Corporation (NCC) councillor and expelled Awami League leader Nur Hossain.
The family members of the deceased said they were happy with the lower court verdict but the delay at the apex court is leaving them frustrated.
However, they still expect that the Appellate Division will uphold the lower court’s judgment, paving the way to its implementation.
The complainant of the case, Selina Islam Beauty, widow of slain NCC councillor Nazrul Islam, said: “We’ve been waiting for justice for 10 years now. The people loyal to the killers are directly and indirectly frightening us.
“Losing our breadwinners, we’ve become helpless. Now we want the government to at least ensure justice,” she said.
Abul Khayer, whose son Tajul Islam was among the seven killed, said that he was skeptical about getting justice.
“The trial process advanced in an expedited manner following the prime minister’s promise in this regard. But we don’t understand why it is taking so much time at the Supreme Court,” he said.
Victim Jahangir’s widow Nupur Begum, expressing similar sentiments, said: “We keep hoping for justice, which we have yet to get. We’re getting tired of the delay (in justice).”
The plaintiff’s lawyer Sakhawat Hossain Khan told Bangla Tribune that the case has been awaiting disposal at the apex court for long, despite the lower court pronouncing its verdict early on.
“Some disgruntled RAB officials and NCC councillors are linked to the case. They have long been trying to foil the trial. But we want the case to be disposed of at the earliest and the verdict carried out,” he added.
Narayanganj District and Sessions Judge Court Public Prosecutor Moniruzzaman Bulbul said that the seven-murder case was a much-talked-about across the country.
“As the case is at the Appellate Division, I hope it will be disposed of soon,” he added.
On April 27, 2014, NCC Panel Mayor Nazrul Islam, his three associates and driver were abducted in Fatullah.
At the same time, a senior lawyer at the District Judge’s Court Chandan Kumar Sarkar, and his driver were abducted on their way to the capital.
Three days after the incident, the bodies of six of them, including Nazrul and Chandan, were recovered from the River Shitalakhya.
The following day, the body of Nazrul’s car driver Jahangir was recovered from the river.
Later, Selina Islam Beauty, widow of Nazrul, filed a case against six people while Chandan’s son-in-law filed the other case.
