11 years on, blogger Niloy murder trial still stuck at witness stage
Niloy was killed on 7 August 2015 at his residence on Road No 8 near the Purbo Goran Tempo Stand.
Eleven years after blogger Niladri Chattopadhyay Niloy was hacked to death at his home in Dhaka, his murder trial remains unfinished, with proceedings still stalled at the witness examination stage.
Niloy was killed on 7 August 2015 at his residence on Road No 8 near the Purbo Goran Tempo Stand.
Although those involved in the case say they cannot predict when the trial will conclude, the prosecution maintains it can be completed quickly if the remaining witnesses appear in court.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The case is currently being heard by the court of Dhaka's First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Alamgir Hossain.
On 30 July 2025, Police Inspector Md Anwar Hossain, who was involved in the investigation, testified and was subsequently cross-examined by defence lawyers. No other witness has testified over the past year.
The latest hearing, scheduled for 21 June, was deferred after witnesses failed to appear. The court has fixed 17 August for the next round of testimony. Of the 15 charge sheet witnesses, only five have testified since the trial began.
Expressing frustration over the prolonged proceedings, Niloy's wife and the case's plaintiff, Asha Moni, said she is still waiting for justice.
"Every year around this time journalists ask about the case. But for the rest of the year, no one follows up," she told The Business Standard. "I still hope for a fair trial. I have never found any justification for why he was killed. An innocent man was brutally murdered."
She said she lost her husband just two years after their marriage and has lived with his memories ever since.
"I still hope justice will be served. But I don't know when the trial will end or whether justice will ever come. I will continue seeking justice for my husband for as long as I live. I want to see the verdict before I die," she said.
Calling on the government, Asha Moni urged it to expedite not only Niloy's case but all pending blogger murder cases.
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqi said several witnesses remain untraceable despite efforts to produce them before the court. If they cannot be located, the case will proceed to final arguments.
State prosecutor Mohammad Billah Hossain said the prosecution is committed to concluding the trial as quickly as possible.
"If the remaining witnesses do not appear, the case will be ready for judgment. We hope a verdict can be delivered within this year," he said.
Defence lawyer Md Nazrul Islam said witnesses had failed to appear despite non-bailable warrants issued by the court, leaving the trial stalled for years.
"If witnesses do not appear, there is little we can do. We hope the accused will also receive a fair trial," he said.
On 4 October 2020, the investigation officer, Police Inspector Shah Md Akhtaruzzaman Elias of the Ramna Zonal Team, submitted a charge sheet against 13 people.
On 18 January 2022, the then First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka, Faisal Atik Bin Quader, framed charges against all 13 accused and ordered the trial to begin.
The accused are Major Zia, Md Masum Rana, Saad Al Nahiyan, Md Kawsar Hossain Khan, Md Kamal Hossain Sardar, Maulana Mufti Abdul Gaffar, Md Mortuza Faisale Sabbir, Md Tarekul Alam alias Tarek, Khairul Islam alias Jamil alias Rifat alias Fahim alias Jisan, Abu Siddiq Sohel alias Sakib alias Sahab, Mozammel Hossain Saymon, Md Arafat Rahman and Md Sheikh Abdullah alias Zubayer.
Among them, Major Zia and Md Kawsar Hossain Khan remain fugitives, while another accused, Abu Siddiq Sohel, escaped from court custody.
According to the case statement, four young men entered Niloy's home on 7 August 2015 on the pretext of renting a flat. They held Asha Moni at gunpoint before repeatedly hacking Niloy in the neck and throat, killing him.
Asha Moni later filed a murder case with Khilgaon Police Station against four unidentified assailants.
Niloy, who wrote under the pen name "Niloy Neel" on the Istishon blog, was associated with the Ganajagaran Mancha movement demanding the trial of war criminals and worked for the NGO Research and Development Collective.
In the months leading up to his murder, he had received repeated death threats. About two-and-a-half months before the attack, he wrote on Facebook that police had refused to accept a general diary after he sought protection over fears for his life.
