The High Court on Sunday upheld death sentence for two of the convicts and commuted death sentence of four others to life term imprisonment.
The court upheld death sentence for Rafiqul Islam Shakil, and Rajon Talukder. It handed down life term jail for Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, Emdadul Haque Emdad, GM Rasheduzzaman Shawon and Mir Nur-e-Alam Rimon.
The court also acquitted death row convicts Saiful Islam alias Saiful, and Qaiyum Mia Tipu. It also acquitted life-term convicts Golam Mostofa and AHM Kibria.
The court also asked police headquarters to investigate negligence of sub-inspector Zahidul Huq in preparing inquest report of Bishwajit. It also asked health ministry to investigate negligence of Md Maksud of forensic department at Sir Salimullah Medical College in preparing post-mortem report.
The bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty delivered the verdict.
The same bench on July 17 set August 6 for delivering the verdict after concluding hearing arguments on the matter.
The murder of 24-year-old tailor Biswajit in a helpless situation near the Bahadur Shah Park in the old part of Dhaka on December 9, 2012 sent nation-wide shockwaves as the country saw the proceedings live on TV screens.
Being repeatedly chopped mercilessly by a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League activists, Bisawjit died on the spot in full public view though he begged to spare his life.
Biswajit was the victim of the BCL leaders and activists, students and former students of Jagannath University, during a countrywide blockade called by the opposition to foil the controversial parliamentary election held on January 5, 2014.
On December 18, 2013, the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal -4 sentenced eight persons to death and 13 others to life term for murdering Biswajit.
Six death convicts — Rafiqul Islam Shakil, Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, Emdadul Haque Emdad, GM Rasheduzzaman Shawon, Saiful Islam alias Saiful, and Qaiyum Mia Tipu — filed appeals challenging their convictions while two others — Rajon Talukder and Mir Nur-e-Alam Rimon — remained absconding.
Out of 13 life term recipients, Golam Mostofa and AHM Kibria preferred appeals against their sentences while 11 others still at large.
Eleven life-term recipient convicts are Yunus Ali, Tarik Bin Johor Tomal, Alauddin, Obaidul Qader Tahsin, Imran Hossain, Azizur Rahman, Al-Amin, Rafiqul Islam, Kamrul Hasan, Monirul Haque Pavel and Mosharraf Hossain.
Source: New Age
