Nusrat murder case: HC verdict on death reference, appeals set for 24 August

The High Court has concluded hearings on the death reference and appeals filed by the convicts in the 2019 murder case of Feni madrasah student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, setting 24 August for the verdict.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja fixed the date after concluding the hearing today (20 August).

The death reference was sent to the High Court for approval of the death sentences handed down by the trial court, while the convicts also filed jail appeals and criminal appeals challenging the verdict.

On 29 October 2019, all case records related to the death sentences reached the High Court. The paper book containing the records was subsequently prepared on a priority basis.

After the necessary proceedings were completed, the case was placed before the chief justice, who assigned the matter to the High Court bench for hearing.

Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, when a trial court sentences an accused to death, the case records must be sent to the High Court for confirmation of the sentence.

On 24 October 2019, Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Mamunur Rashid sentenced all 16 accused in the case to death. The court also fined each of them Tk1 lakh.

The case originated from a sexual harassment allegation against SM Siraj-ud-Doula, then principal of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasah. Nusrat's mother, Shirin Akhter, filed the case against him on 27 March 2019, following which police arrested the principal.

According to the case proceedings, several of Siraj's followers subsequently attempted to build public support for securing his release from jail. On 3 April, the accused consulted Siraj in jail, and a plan to kill Nusrat was made the following day at the madrasah hostel.

On 6 April, Nusrat went to the madrasah to sit for her Alim examination. She was taken to the roof of a cyclone shelter, where an attempt was made to kill her as part of the plan.

Nusrat was rescued from the scene and initially taken to Sonagazi Upazila Health Complex. She was later shifted to Feni 250-bed General Hospital and, as her condition deteriorated, transferred to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

She died while undergoing treatment there on 10 April 2019.

Nusrat's brother, Mahmudul Hasan Noman, filed a murder case on 8 April. Police submitted the charge sheet on 28 May, and the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal framed charges on 20 June.

The court subsequently recorded testimony and heard arguments before fixing 24 October for the verdict on 30 September. The trial, including the recording of testimony from 87 witnesses and arguments, was completed in just 61 working days.

The death convicts are: SM Siraj-ud-Doula, Nur Uddin, Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Councillor Maksud Alam, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zubayer, Zabed Hossain, Hafez Abdul Kader, Afsar Uddin, Kamrun Nahar Moni, Umme Sultana, Abdur Rahim Sharif, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Imran Hossain, Mohammad Shamim, Ruhul Amin and Mohiuddin Shakil.