Rajib murder: HC upholds death for two, jail terms for six others

The High Court has upheld the trial court's verdict in the 2013 murder of blogger and online activist Ahmed Rajib Haider.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 2 April 2017, 06:09 AM
Updated : 2 April 2017, 07:47 PM

On Sunday, Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Md Jahangir Hossain made their decision on the appeals filed by the convicts and the death references.

It upheld the death penalty awarded to two of the convicts, life imprisonment for one and various jail terms for five others, including banned group Ansarullah Bangla Team chief Mufti Jashim Uddin Rahmani.

One of the death row convicts, Redwanul Azad Rana, who had been absconding until Feb 20 this year, did not appeal, while the others challenged the verdict.

Rana's death reference was heard by the High Court. Death sentences that trial courts issue are forwarded as death references to the High Court for approval.

The victim's father filed a criminal revision petition, seeking stricter punishment for those who received jail terms.

The plea was scrapped as no counsels represented the victim's family in the High Court.

In February 2013, blogger and Ganajagaran Mancha activist Rajib was hacked to death near his Mirpur home in Dhaka.

The murder came within 10 days of the Ganajagaran Mancha's movement demanding the highest punishment to the war criminals.

An architect by profession, Rajib actively campaigned against religious extremists on the internet.

Investigations revealed that seven students of North South University were inspired to perpetrate the killing by sermons delivered by Rahmani.

Police have found the Ansarullah Bangla Team responsible for the deaths of several other writers, bloggers and activists of the Ganajagaran Mancha.

The verdict on Rajib's murder is the first among these cases.

Five of the seven convicted NSU students.

The victim's family, however, said they did not get justice.

"The government says they have a zero-tolerance policy against militancy, but that has not been reflected in the court's verdict," said the slain blogger's father Najim Uddin, the plaintiff.

'Rejecting' the verdict, he said, "It has been proven that those who have killed my son are militants -- educated militants. But they did not get the maximum penalty."

On not appointing a lawyer for the High Court hearings, Najim Uddin described the whole thing as an 'excuse of the court.'

Asked whether he would appeal against the verdict, he replied: "I will pursue every legal avenue I have."

Deputy Attorney General Jahirul Haque told the media that the court said the investigation into the murder should have been more 'proper and specific.'

"The court said proving the charges brought in a criminal procedure depends on the probe by the investigation officer. That's why it has told the police chief to appoint patriot, responsible and dependable officers," he said on Sunday.

Almost a year after the killings, the Detective Branch pressed charges on Ansarullah Bangla chief Rahmani and seven NSU students in January 2014.

The trial began in March the same year after the court indicted the eight.

On Dec 31, 2016, a speedy trial tribunal in Dhaka found all of them guilty.

Former NSU students Redwanul Azad Rana and Faisal Bin Noim Deep were sentenced to death along with a fine of Tk 30,000. Rana masterminded the killing and it was Deep, who attacked Rajib with a machete.

Convict Hasan Anik received a life-term along with a fine of Tk 10,000. An added year of imprisonment had also been ordered upon failure to pay the fine. The court said Anik had procured the weapon used for the murder.

Jail terms of ten years each were awarded to Ehsan Reza Rumman, Nayeem Irad and Nafij Imtiaj along with a fine of Tk 5,000.

Mufti Jashim Uddin Rahmani.

Convict Sadman Yasir Mahmud was sentenced to three years in jail 'based on his statement' provided before a magistrate, the trial court said.

Militant leader Rahmani got a five-year prison term. The trial court's verdict read, "The convicts were inspired by his sermons. That's why the charge of inciting the murder has been levelled on him."

Dissatisfied over the trial court's decision on Rahmani, Rajib's father then filed a revision petition with the High Court, seeking stricter punishment for those, who got prison terms.

All of the convicts, except fugitive Rana, challenged the verdict.

The counter-terrorism unit of the police arrested Rana in Dhaka on Feb 20.

Police arrested Sadman in an anti-terrorism case after he was released in July last year following his three-year prison sentence in Rajib murder.

After hearing the appeals and the death references the High court upheld the sentences awarded by the Speedy Trial Tribunal in Dhaka.

The criminal revision petition by Rajib's father was scrapped as there was no lawyer in the High Court representing him.

Parents need to be more responsible

In its verdict, the High Court observed: “An imam's responsibility is to conduct the prayers and propagate Islamic knowledge. They must not give any sermon, which falls beyond the purview of the law."

The court said the law allows trying anyone for posting insulting or offensive comments on religion on the social media, but nobody can take the law into his own hands.

"The evidence and arguments of the case shows all of the convicts, expect for Rahmani, are meritorious students. But we have not been able to find why they chose this path. There might be many reasons for that," the court said.

The verdict observed that parents must be more responsible to keep their children 'on the right path’.

"A lot of parents remain busy with their own lives. We often do not pay attention to the children."

The High Court verdict's observation comes as a wake-up call for the society to find out why the youths are opting for the militant path, Deputy Attorney General Haque told the media.

He said the court urged parents to give more time and attention to their children.