Biswajit murder verdict on Dec 18

A Dhaka court will deliver its verdict in the Biswajit Das murder case on Dec 18.

The fourth Speedy Trial Tribunal’s Judge ABM Nizamul Haque has set the date on Wednesday after hearing final arguments.

Biswajit Das, a tailor, was attacked and hacked to death by the activists of the ruling Awami League’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, on Dec 9 last year near Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka during an Opposition-backed blockade.

The charge-sheet was submitted on Mar 5 against 21 accused, all of them Chhatra League activists of the Jagannath Univesity.

Eight of those accused are in prison, but 13 are still absconding.

Special prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam said they had been able to establish the case and hoped the accused would get the maximum punishment.

File Photo

Of the eight accused, Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, Emdadul Haque Emdad and GM Rasheduzzaman Shaon had given statements before the court.

On Nov 19, Nahid and his brother-in-law Ruhul Amin deposed before the court.

Nahid had said that he was in Bhola and not in Dhaka on the day Biswajit was murdered in Old Dhaka.

His brother-in-law, Ruhul Amin, a teacher at a Bhola madrasa, supported Nahid’s version.

But Amin failed to prove Nahid’s claim in court, when the judge asked for evidence.

The defence counsel on Oct 17 finished cross-examination of police officer Tajul Islam who is the investigating officer in the case.

Total 33 witnesses have testified for the state in the case.