High Court to deliver verdict on death reference and appeals in Nusrat Jahan murder case today
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The High Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Monday regarding the death reference and appeals in the sensational murder case of Nusrat Jahan Rafi. The judgment will be pronounced by a High Court bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice K M Rasheduzzaman Raja.
Authorities have tightened security at the victim’s family home in Sonagazi, Feni, ahead of the verdict. Abul Hashim, officer-in-charge of the Sonagazi Model Police Station, confirmed that the security measures were escalated following a formal request from the victim’s brother, Mahmudul Hasan. While two police officers had been stationed at the residence since the murder, the force was bolstered by an additional seven personnel starting Sunday. Police are also maintaining heightened surveillance across the area to ensure public order.
The hearing for the death reference, appeals, and jail appeals concluded on August 20 after spanning 17 working days. The special High Court bench was constituted by the Chief Justice on June 10 to expedite cases related to the suppression of violence against women and children, with proceedings for the Nusrat case commencing on July 28.
Expressing his hopes for the judicial outcome, Mahmudul Hasan stated that his family seeks justice and anticipates that the High Court will uphold the verdict delivered by the lower court. Although he expressed satisfaction with the increased security, he noted that the family remains concerned about their safety while traveling outside their home.
The murder of the student, which sparked national outrage, occurred after she filed a case against Siraj Ud-Doula, the then-principal of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil (Degree) Madrasa, for sexual harassment on March 27, 2019. On April 6, 2019, after she refused to withdraw the complaint, Nusrat was lured to the roof of the madrasa, where she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. She succumbed to her injuries on April 10, 2019, at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital burn unit.
On October 24, 2019, a Feni tribunal sentenced 16 individuals to death for the murder. The convicted include former principal Siraj Ud-Doula, former Sonagazi Upazila Awami League president Ruhul Amin, municipal councilor Maksudul Alam, and several others involved in the planning and execution of the attack. Following the trial court’s ruling, the case documents were transferred to the High Court for death reference confirmation, leading to the current appellate review.
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