BANGLADESH: RAJSHAHI COURT SENTENCES 9 TO DEATH, 22 TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF CHHATRA LEAGUE LEADER

December 9, 2021:

A Rajshahi court has sentenced nine people, including a former Rajshahi city councillor, to death and 22 others to life in prison for the murder of Chhatra League leader and apprentice lawyer Shahin Alam aka Shahin Shah.
After 14 delays, Judge OHM Ilias Hossain finally announced the verdict on 9 December 2021.
The convicts were also fined Tk 100,000 each, which they are to pay to the victim’s family, said Musabbirul Islam, a state lawyer at the court.
The prosecution did not have sufficient evidence to prove their case, said Amidul Haque, a defence attorney.
“No evidence or blood was found at the scene,” he said. “Convictions cannot be expected in such circumstances. We are hurt and saddened. We will appeal the decision.”
Shahin was the younger brother of Rajib Ali, a member of the Rajshahi City Corporation Mayoral Panel-2 and Ward-2 councillor. He was killed in an attack in the Rajshahi Court College area on 28 August 2013.
Shahin was a former general secretary of the Court College Chhatra League. His brother, Jubo League leader Nahid Ahktar Nahan, filed a case with Rajpara police the following day.
The court has delivered a fair verdict, Nahid said after the decision was announced on 9 December.
“We are happy with the decision. Now I implore the government to carry out these sentences quickly.”
According to the court documents, 31 suspects, including then Ward-1 Councillor Mansur Rahman, were indicted in the case.
Both the prosecution and defence completed their arguments on 11 November 2020. The verdict was then deferred 14 times before it was finally scheduled for 9 December.
The death row convicts have been identified as Mansur Rahman, Hasanul Zaman Himel, Toufiqul Islam Chand, Mohammad Mohasin, Sairul, Rajab, Biplob, Momin and Ariful Islam.
Those who received life in prison have been identified as Mahabul Hossain, Sattar, Sajjad Hossain, Bakhtiar Alam Rana, Hasan Ali, Masud, Rasel, Raja, Mortuza, Sumon, Asadul, Akhtarul, Jaidur Rahman, Forman Ali, Jainul Abedin, Raju Ahmed, Akbar Ali, Samrat Hossain, Lal Mohammad, Tia Alam, Azad Hossain, and Masum.