Bishwajit’s father Ananta Chandra Das and mother Kalpana Rani Das told the Dhaka Tribune they were passing their time in fear as 13 of the murder convicts were still absconding.
Ananta Chandra Das and brother Uttam Kumar Das testified in the case in September at Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-4.
Ananta Chandra told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are in fear. 13 of the convicts are still absconding and they could commit any kind of crime against our family.”
Uttam was present in the court during the verdict. He said he expected the higher court to uphold the verdict. He also demanded the immediate execution of the capital punishment for those who killed his brother.
Eight leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, a front organisation of ruling Awami League, were awarded death sentence and 13 others life term for killing Bishwajit Das.
The tribunal’s Judge ABM Nizamul Haque delivered the verdict yesterday against the 21 accused. All were students of Jagannath University.
The court observed that the murder was particularly heinous as it was carried out in broad daylight.
“The peaceful and law abiding people also expect that the ruling party and the opposition will direct their political programmes for the welfare of the people, not for this type of heinous killing,” the court said in its observations during the verdict.
“The tribunal thinks justice will be served by awarding maximum punishment, considering the extent of the crime,” the judge said.
The murder had put the ruling party in a tight spot as all those accused belonged to the party’s student affiliate, Bangladesh Chhatra League.
Bishwajit was hacked to death by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists on December 9 last year near the Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka during a strike called by the BNP-led 18-Party alliance.
Sutrapur police station Sub-Inspector Jalal Ahmed filed the case accusing 25 unknown people. Later they were arrested through video footages and paper clippings.
Opposition leaders had severely criticised the ruling party for accusing unidentified people even after newspapers and TV channels carried reports with photos and visuals of those who attacked Bishwajit.
Jagannath University (JnU) authorities expelled the students whose photos were published in the news reports amid the police investigation.
Registrar of Jagannath University Wahiduzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune that the university would take actions against the rest of the convicts after an academic council meeting.
Investigation Officer of the case Tajul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune he was satisfied that the court had punished the accused. He also said the local police station would take necessary actions to arrest the absconding convicts.
