A fast track court here today condemned all 16 accused to death and fined them Taka one lakh each in the case lodged over the murder of Sonagazi madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, Reports BSS.
Judge Md Mamunur Rashed of Feni Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal pronounced the judgment at the jam-packed courtroom at around 11.20 am in presence of all the 16 convicts.
The 16 convicts are- SM Siraj Uddoula, Md Nur Uddin, Md Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Maksud Alam, Saifur Rahman Md Zubayer, Jabed Hossain, Hafej Abdul Kader, Md Afsar Uddin, Qamrunnahar Moni, Umme Sultana Popi, Abdur Rahim Sharif, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Imran Hossain, Md Shamim, Ruhul Amin and Mohiuddin Shakil.
“The accused deserve severe punishment for their boastful behavior towards Nusrat as it certainly would leave humanity ashamed. The world now aware of her (Nusrat) fight to protect her dignity, thanks to the media,” the court said in its observation.
Earlier, the prison authority brought the accused to court at around 10.45 am and the police took them to the courtroom after 11 am. Judge Md Mamunur Rashed started reading out the judgment at 11.10 am.
Most of the accused, mainly the young ones were looked tensed the whole time, while their relatives were crying their hearts out. But, the main perpetrator behind the heinous crime SM Siraj Uddoula looked expressionless.
But, as the court sentenced all of them to death, the convicts broke into tears, some of them were cursing the state counsels and plaintiff.
Public prosecutor Hafez Ahammed and Nusrat’s family lawyer Shajahan Shaju expressed their satisfaction over the judgment, saying they have received justice.
The tribunal on September 30 set today to pronounce the verdict as both the state and defense concluded their arguments on that day.
Nusrat had accused Siraj Uddoula of harassing her sexually on March 27, while she was exposed to his extreme vengeance on April 6 when she went to the madrasa to appear in Alim examination.
A group of masked youths, later found to be the cronies of the disgraced principal, took Nusrat to the rooftop of the madrasa and set her on fire after tying her with her scarf.