Dhaka HC upholds death sentence for 15, life terms for 11 in Narayanganj 7-murder case

The Dhaka High Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence for 15 convicts and life terms for eleven others in connection with the sensational Narayanganj seven-murder cases.

Former Awami League activist Nur Hossain, the then commanding officer of Rab-11 in Narayanganj Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, the then company commanders of Rab-11 Major Arif Hossain and Lt.Commander Masud Rana are among the convicts awarded capital punishment, reports the Daily Star.

A two judge bench of the high court, comprising of Justices Bhabani Prasad Singha and Mustafa Zaman Islam announced the verdict on the death references and appeals in the sensational seven-murder cases.

A lower court had earlier handed down death sentences to 26 persons, jail terms to nine others, ranging from seven to 17 years.

On January 16 this year a local court found 35 people, including 25 former Rab officials and Nur Hossain, guilty of the charges. Of them 26 were sentenced to death while nine others were jailed in various terms - from seven to 17 years.

After the lower court verdict, Tareque, Arif and Masud were withdrawn from Rab and forced into retirement from the defence services.

Seven people, including the then Narayanganj city panel mayor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were abducted from Dhaka-Narayanganj link road on April 27, 2014. Later, their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakkhya River.

Family members and relatives of the victims mobilised public support and waged a movement demanding justice.

Following a petition, the High Court ordered arrest of the three officials and probe without Rab involvement.