United News of Bangladesh

The High Court on Monday upheld the death sentences of two convicts and commuted that of four others to life imprisonment in the much-discussed murder case of madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi in Sonagazi upazila of Feni. The High Court bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja pronounced the verdict. The condemned convicts are SM Siraj-ud-Daula, expelled principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, and Shahadat Hossain alias Shamim. The lifers are Nur Uddin, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Jobayer, Jabed Hossain alias Sakhawat Hossain and Umme Sultana alias Popy. The court acquitted the remaining 10 people as the charges against them were not proved. They are Maqsood Alam alias Moksud, a former councillor and former general secretary of Sonagazi municipality Awami League; Hafez Abdul Quader; Absar Uddin; Kamrun Nahar Moni; Abdur Rahim Sharif; Iftekhar Uddin Rana; Imran Hossain alias Mamun; Ruhul Amin, president of Sonagazi Upazila Awami League and former vice-president of the madrasa; Mohiuddin Shakil; and Mohammad Shamim. The verdict was delivered in response to the death references and appeals filed in the case following the trial court’s verdict. On October 24, 2019, Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced all 16 accused to death for killing Nusrat, who was set on fire at her madrasa in April that year after she had accused the madrasa principal of sexual harassment. The court also fined each of them Tk 1 lakh. According to the prosecution, Nusrat’s mother, Shirin Akhter, filed a case on March 27, 2019 against SM Siraj-ud-Daula, then principal of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa, accusing him of sexually harassing her daughter. Siraj-ud-Daula was subsequently arrested. His supporters sought to secure his release and later plotted to silence Nusrat. On April 3, several of the accused met Siraj in jail, and on April 4 they planned to kill Nusrat at the madrasa. On April 6, Nusrat went to the madrasa to sit for her Alim examination. She was lured to the roof of a cyclone shelter attached to her madrasah, where she was set on fire after refusing to withdraw sexual assault charges against her principal. Nusrat was rescued and initially taken to Sonagazi Upazila Health Complex before being transferred to Feni General Hospital. As her condition deteriorated, she was shifted to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital where she died on April 10, 2019. Her brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed the murder case on April 8. Police submitted the charge sheet on May 28, and the Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal framed charges on June 20. The trial court recorded the testimony of 87 witnesses and heard arguments before delivering its verdict on October 24.  

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

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on Monday fixed the High Court bench of Justice Soumendra Sarker and Justice Shahed Nuruddin for hearing the death reference and appeal petition in Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case.

Four death-row convicts filed petitions with the High Court on Monday challenging the lower court verdict against them in the sensational Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case.

A tribunal here on Wednesday set November 28 for delivering its verdict in a case filed against former officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Police Station Moazzem Hossain under the Digital Security Act.

Dhaka, Nov 14 (UNB) – Former Sonagazi Police Station officer-in-charge Moazzem Hossain entered a plea of‘not guilty’ in a case filed under the Digital Security Act over unlawfully interrogating deceased Feni madrasa student NusratJahan Rafi.

Twelve of the 16 condemned convicts in Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case were shifted to Cumilla central jail from Feni distirct jail on Tuesday.

Feni, Nov 3 (UNB) – Relatives of 16 people sentenced to death in Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case and locals formed a human chain on Olama Bazar street on Sunday and demanded their release.

Feni, Oct 30 (UNB)- After the speedy trial of Madrasah student Nusrat Jahan Rafi’s murder case, the fate of the newborn daughter of one of the 16 individuals convicted of the crime fell into uncertainty as her mother, Kamrun Nahar Moni, was also sentenced to death.

Dhaka, Oct 29 (UNB) – The death references of the madrasa girl Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case reached the High Court on Tuesday.