A court in Moulvibazar on Wednesday sentenced four people to death for the murder of college student Rezaul Karim Naim, while acquitting five others in the case.

Moulvibazar District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Robiul Awal pronounced the verdict.

The death-row convicts are Nurul Islam, Saimon Islam, Nahidul Islam Rony and Anwar Hossain. Rony and Anwar are absconding.

Nine people were accused in the case, five of whom were acquitted.

Moulvibazar District and Sessions Judge Court Public Prosecutor Advocate Dr Abdul Matin Chowdhury said, “The complainant’s side has expressed satisfaction with the verdict.”

However, lawyers for the defence said they would appeal against the judgment before the higher court.

Naim’s father, Cherag Mia, said, “I am satisfied with the verdict. Now I want to see it executed. Those who are absconding should also be arrested quickly and their sentences carried out,” he said.

He also alleged that the absconding accused and their relatives continued to issue threats in various ways.

According to the case statement and court sources, Nurul and others went to Naim’s house in Barshijora village of Moulvibazar Sadar upazila on the evening of November 7, 2023, to demand extortion.

At the house, they abused and assaulted Naim’s father and mother, Shamsun Nahar. In addition to demanding money, they also accused Naim of spreading false propaganda on Facebook.

When Naim intervened to stop the incident, the accused attacked him with sharp local weapons, leaving him critically injured. He was taken to a hospital in a bloodied condition, where he died.

Two days after the incident, on November 9, Cherag filed a case with Moulvibazar Model Police Station, naming nine people as accused.