3 to hang, 8 jailed for life over 2023 Munshiganj murder

Prosecutors said the victim was woken from his bed in the middle of the night and lured outside before being shot over a prior dispute

A Dhaka court has sentenced three people to death and eight others to life imprisonment for the murder of Shyamal Bepari in Munshiganj in 2023.

Judge Shyam Sundar Roy of Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 delivered the verdict on Monday.

The three death penalty recipients are Shahadat Bepari, Jahangir Bepari and Ibrahim Bepari.

Those handed life terms are Monir Chowkidar, Hayatul Islam Chowkidar, Habib Bepari, Ashraful Khan, Humayun Dewan, Emdad Haldar alias Imran, Ayub Khan and Liton Bepari.

Among the convicts, Shahadat is currently in jail, court officials said.

Ibrahim, Habib, Emdad and Liton are absconding, while six others had been out on bail during the trial.

All the accused except Jahangir appeared before the court. His lawyer sought time citing illness, but the court rejected the plea.

The tribunal cancelled Jahangir’s bail and issued an arrest warrant against him. Arrest warrants were also issued for the other absconding convicts.

According to court official Abul Kalam Azad, the death row convicts have also been fined Tk 25,000 each.

Those sentenced to life imprisonment were fined Tk 25,000 each, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in default of payment.

According to the prosecution, Shyamal went to bed around 10pm on Jun 13, 2023, after dinner at his home in East Rakhi village of Munshiganj.

Around 1am, Emdad allegedly called him outside, saying there was an urgent matter to discuss amid a prior dispute.

As soon as he opened the door, Shahadat allegedly shot him twice in the hand. Jahangir and Ibrahim Bepari also shot him in the legs. Two others fired additional shots.

When Shyamal collapsed inside the house, the attackers allegedly dragged him to the yard and assaulted him further. To ensure his death, Habib allegedly shot him in the head, the prosecution said.

It also alleged that Shahadat later struck him on the head with a sharp weapon. The attackers fled after detonating crude bombs to create panic as neighbours approached.

Shyamal was taken to Munshiganj General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Two days later, on Jun 15, Ibrahim Mia filed a case with Munshiganj Police Station.

Police submitted the chargesheet against the accused to a Munshiganj court on Feb 17, 2024. The case was later transferred to Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-3.

Charges were framed against 11 accused on Jul 14 last year, marking the start of the trial.

During the proceedings, the tribunal recorded testimonies from 27 of the 39 listed witnesses. Two of the accused, Shahadat and Hayatul, testified in their defence.

The court had initially set Feb 24 for delivering the verdict but deferred it to Mar 3 as the judgment was not ready.