1 year of Nusrat murder case: Family still waiting to see verdict execution

Although a year has elapsed since a tribunal delivered its verdict in the Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case, her family’s wait to see the execution of the verdict is yet to end.

The case is currently awaiting a death reference verdict in the appellate division of the High Court.

On October 29, 2019, the death reference of the tribunal reached the High Court, said PP Advocate Hafeez Ahmed of Feni court.

The chief justice has formed a bench for hearing the appeal. The hearing will be held on a priority basis as soon as the Covid-19 situation improves.

During a visit to the residence of Nusrat, this correspondent saw that police were providing security to her family members. The brutal killing of Nusrat still haunts the parents and brother of Nusrat.

Asked about the passage of a year since the verdict was pronounced, Nusrat Jahan Rafi's mother Shirina Akhter said: "The killers have snatched my Rafi from me. I have not been able to sleep in peace for the last year and a half . When I close my eyes, I see Rafi's burnt body in front of my eyes. I humbly request the Hon'ble Prime Minister to expedite the proceedings in the High Court and execute the murderers. The killers should not be allowed to go free at any cost."

Nusrat’s brother, Mahmudul Hasan Noman, said: “We’ve got the verdict and we want its execution soon. We got justice in the lower court and we are hopeful we will soon get a verdict from the higher court as well." 

He also demanded immediate steps for the verdict to be carried out after the hearing of the appeal petition of the four death row convicts.

Also Read- Nusrat's family demands immediate execution of verdict

The gruesome killing

Nusrat was set on fire on April 6 last year on the roof of a madrasa she attended by people loyal to principal Sirajuddowla, whom she had accused of sexually harassing her.           

She succumbed to her injuries four days later at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), reports UNB.

A case was filed with Sonagazi Police Station on April 8. Police pressed charges in court against 16 people.

The accused are madrasa principal SM Sirajuddowla, Awami League leader Ruhul Amin, Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Nur Uddin, Imran Hossain Mamun, Hafez Abdul Quader, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Councillor Maksud Alam alias Moksud, Kamrunnahar Moni, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobair, Javed, Umme Sultana Popy, Mohiuddin Shakil, Mohammad Shamim, Abdur Rahim Sharif and Absar Uddin.

Twelve of the accused reportedly confessed to their involvement in the killing of Nusrat, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Madrasah.

Verdict

PP Advocate Hafeez Ahmed of Feni court said that on this day in 2019 (October 24), 16 people, including the main accused principal Siraj-ud-Daulah, were sentenced to death for burning Nusrat to death. And a fine of Tk1 lakh was imposed by the Feni Women and Child Abuse Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Md Mamunur Rashid. 

After that, the four accused appealed for bail before the High Court through lawyers. The remaining 12 accused have appealed through the jail authorities

On May 10, 2019, Moazzem Hossain, the then officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Model Police Station, was suspended in connection with the murder.

He was accused of unlawfully interrogating Nusrat and recording it on phone. A video of the interrogation went viral on social media, prompting a lawyer to file a case against him on April 15 under the Digital Security Act.