BANGLADESH: SIX TO BE HANGED IN MURDER CASE IN CUMILLA

July 11, 2024:

A Cumilla court has sentenced six people to death and 10 others to life term imprisonment for killing a man named Nurul Haque over land dispute in Brahmanpara upazila of the district in 2011.
Cumilla Additional District and Sessions Judge’s Court Judge Jahangir Alam delivered the verdict in the presence of some of the convicts on June 26, 2024.
Seven of the convicts were tried in absentia. The court also fined each convict Tk 50,000. The court acquitted two individuals due to insufficient evidence.
The six death-row convicts are -- Md Masum, 35, Md Quaiyum, 28, Tajul Islam, 32, Md Mustafa, 24, Md Quaiyum, 25, and Md Tabdul Hossain, 40.
Ten people, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, are - Md Nanu Mia, 40, Matin Mia, 40, Saidul Islam, 24, Babul Mia, 25, Shafiqul Islam, 35, Md Shafiqul Islam, 28, Moslem Mia, 45, Helal Mia, 25, Billal Hossain, 30, and Abdul Awal, 30.
Mohammad Zakir Hossain, the assistant public prosecutor at the court, has informed the matter to newsmen. He said two of the accused in the case Phul Mia and Selim, died during the trial proceedings.
According to the prosecution story, the convicts beat Nurul Haque to death when he was returning home on the evening of 17 February 2011 in Brahmanpara Upazila over land dispute.
According to the prosecution, Farid Mia of Brahmanpara upazila and Md Masum had a conflict centering a land.
In 2011, village arbitration led by Nurul Haque was held to resolve the issue.
During the arbitration, Nurul Haque instructed Masum to vacate the land occupied by him, which led to a violent response.
On February 16, 2011, Masum and the other convicts attacked Nurul Haque, stabbing him to death on the spot.
A case was filed in connection with the incident. Later, police submitted charges against 20 individuals.