16 to die for Nusrat murder

A Feni court has sentenced all the 16 accused in the Nusrat murder case to death.

Judge Mamunur Rashid of Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal handed down the verdict around 11.00am on Thursday.

The court has also fined all of the convicts Tk one lakh each.

The judge on September 30 set the date to pronounce the verdict as both the state and defence concluded their arguments on that day.

Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, was set ablaze allegedly for refusing to withdraw a case filed against Madrasa Principal Md Sirajuddoula for sexually harassing her.

The 18-year-old girl was tied up and set afire on the roof of the madrasa's administration building before one of her Alim exams on April 6.

Nusrat succumbed to her injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on April 10.

Nusrat’s brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman on April 8 filed the case against eight.

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) on June 29 filed charge sheet against 16 in the case.

The 16 condemned convicts are: Former Madrasa Principal Md Sirajuddoula, Sonagazi municipality councillor Maksudul Alam, Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Hafej Abdul Kader,  Afsar Uddin, Saifur Rahman, Mohammad Zubayer, Javed Hossain alias Shakhawat Hossain Javed,  Kamrunnahar Moni, Umme Sultana Poppy, Abdur Rahim Sharif, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Imran Hossain Mamun, Mohiuddin Shakil, Mohammad Shamim and Nuruddin.

Feni/Sourav Patowari/Mukul