5 Ex BCL members get death penalty in Zubair murder case

Five expelled students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) were sentenced to death and six others to life term imprisonment on charge of killing Zubair Ahmed, an honours final year student of English department of the university, in 2012.
Judge ABM Nizamul Haque of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 of Dhaka pronounced the verdict which also acquitted two other accused — Mahamudul Hasan Masud and Najmul Hossein Plabon — of the charge as allegations brought against them were not proved.Lawyers and court officials said the accused were the expelled activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of ruling Bangladesh Awami League. They joined BCL soon after the erstwhile Awami League government assumed office. They were involved in different criminal activities including extortion in and around the campus.
JU sources said, Zubair was seriously injured following the brutal tortures on January 8, 2012. Later, he was rushed to a local treatment centre at Savar and subsequently he was shifted to United Hospital in Dhaka, where he succumbed to his injuries next morning.
On January 9 in 2012, JU Deputy Registrar Hamidur Rahman filed a case with Ashulia Police Station.
Of the accused, Khandaker Ashiqul Islam alias Ashiq, Rashidul Islam Raju, Khan Mohammad Rois alias Sohan, Jahid Hasan and Mahabub Akram were awarded the capital punishment. They all remained absconding since the charge sheet was framed on April 3, 2012.
The court also gave life-term jail to Ishtiaq Mehbub alias Arup, Najmus Sakib Topu, Majharul Islam, Quamruzzaman Sohag, Shafiqul Islam Sentu and Abhinandon Kundu alias Ovi. Of them, Arup went into hiding earlier.
The court recorded statements of 27 prosecution witnesses, including complainants of the case. -BSS