High Court Continues Hearing in Nusrat Jahan Murder Case Appeals
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The High Court bench of Justices Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and K.M. Rashaduzzaman Raja continued proceedings Thursday in the appeal and death reference hearings for the high-profile murder of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi. The ongoing sessions, which mark the third day of formal arguments, involve the court’s meticulous review of the case’s paper book to address the death sentences handed down to the 16 convicted individuals.
The judicial process is being conducted on a priority basis following a special directive from the Chief Justice issued on June 10. The designated bench commenced its review of the trial records on June 14, with substantive arguments regarding the prosecution’s case beginning late last month. According to Deputy Attorney General Syed Ejaz Kabir, the court has so far reviewed the testimony of 34 out of the 87 witnesses documented in the paper book. The proceedings are scheduled to resume on Sunday.
The case traces back to March 27, 2019, when the then-principal of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa, Siraj Ud-Doula, was accused of molesting Nusrat in his office. Following his subsequent arrest, pressure was exerted on the student’s family to withdraw the charges. On April 6, 2019, Nusrat was lured to the roof of the madrasa by a group of assailants, where she was restrained, doused with kerosene, and set on fire. She succumbed to her injuries at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital burn unit four days later.
The brutal nature of the crime sparked widespread national outrage, leading Nusrat’s brother, Mahmudul Hasan, to file a formal complaint that later escalated into a murder investigation. On October 24, 2019, the Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced all 16 defendants, including the former principal, to death. The case records were transmitted to the High Court shortly thereafter to facilitate the mandatory death reference process. With the defendants filing separate appeals, the current bench is working to resolve the legal challenges as a matter of judicial priority.
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