Published : 30 Sep 2026, 04:04 PM
Updated : 30 Sep 2026, 04:04 PM
A Dhaka court has sentenced a man to death and three others to life in prison for the murder of pick-up driver Asadul Islam in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh three years ago.
Dhaka's Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Nazmun Nahar Nipu delivered the verdict on Wednesday.
The death row convict was identified as Raju Howlader, while Anik Hasan alias Shanto, Sajal Mia, and Kausar were sentenced to life in prison.
State lawyer Khandaker Safi Newaz Nasir said that, in addition to the death sentence, Raju was fined Tk 50,000. The three other convicts were fined Tk 25,000 each.
Raju was in jail and was produced in court for the verdict hearing. After the verdict was delivered, another state lawyer - Mahmudur Rahman Sweet – said a sentence warrant was issued and he was taken to prison.
He said, "The other three accused have absconded after securing bail from the High Court."
The case details state that on Jun 13, 2023, pickup driver Asadul was heading home after finishing work and parking his vehicle at Dhaka’s Tannery intersection in Hazaribagh around 9:30pm.
"When he reached the RS pump around 11:10pm, a group of unidentified persons stabbed him. He was then rescued and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Asadul died on Jun 19 while undergoing treatment," it said.
Asadul's father Monnaf Mia filed a case against unknown persons over the incident on Jun 19. After an investigation, Hazaribagh Police Station Sub-Inspector Kamal Krishna Saha filed a chargesheet against four suspects in court on Feb 29, 2024.
The investigation revealed that when the four suspects reached the RS pump, they accosted Asadul, demanding he give them everything he had, including his mobile phone. When he refused, Raju stabbed Asadul in the chest with a knife. They then snatched Asadul's mobile phone and fled.
On Nov 7, 2024, the court framed charges against the accused and ordered the case to trial. The court heard the testimony of 16 of 21 witnesses during the trial.
After both sides presented their cases, the verdict was delivered on Wednesday.
