SC Appellate Division sets Dec 8 for hearing in Biswajit murder case

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday set December 8 for hearing appeals in the 2012 murder case of tailor-shop worker Biswajit Das.

Justice Md Rezaul Haque, sitting as a judge-in-chamber of the Appellate Division, fixed the date.

Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal represented the state at the hearing.

Biswajit was hacked to death in broad daylight on December 9, 2012, by a group of activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the then ruling Awami League’s student wing.

On December 18, 2013, the Dhaka 4th Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced eight people to death and 13 others to life imprisonment in the case.

Those sentenced to death were Rafikul Islam Shakil, Rajan Talukder, Mahfuzur Rahman, Rasheduzzaman, Imdadul Haque, Kaium Miah, Saiful Islam and Nur-e Alam.

The 13 people sentenced to life imprisonment were AHM Kibria, Golam Mostafa, Khandaker Eunus Ali, Monirul Haque, Tarik Bin Johayer, Alauddin, Obaidul Quader, Imran Hossain, Azizur Rahman, Al Amin Sheikh, Rafikul Islam, Kamrul Hasan and Mosharraf Hossain.

On August 6, 2017, a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty upheld the death sentences of two accused and life imprisonment for 11 others after hearing appeals and death references. The court acquitted four accused.

The two death-row convicts are Rafikul Islam Shakil and Rajan Talukder. The High Court acquitted Saiful Islam, Kaium Miah, AHM Kibria and Golam Mostafa, while commuting the death sentences of four others to life imprisonment. This brought the total number of people sentenced to life imprisonment to 15.

The High Court also ordered action against the doctor who conducted the autopsy on Biswajit’s body and the investigation officer for failing to submit proper reports to the court.