The Fourth Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka on Wednesday set December 18 to pronounce the verdict of the much-talked-about Biswajit murder case. Judge ABM Nizamul Haque fixed the date Wednesday after completion of arguments on behalf of the prosecution and the defence.
Biswajit Das, a tailor, was allegedly attacked and hacked to death by the activists of the ruling Awami League’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, while he was going to his shop on Dec 9 last year near Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka during the Opposition’s countrywide road blockade programme of December 9 last year.
The charge sheet of the case was submitted on Mar 5 against 21 accused, and all of them were Chhatra League activists of the Jagannath Univesity.
Judge Md Jahurul Haque of Dhaka’s Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court framed charges against the 21 BCL activists for their alleged direct involvement in broad daylight murder in presence of police, journalists and hundreds of people in the capital city on June 2.
Eight of those accused are in jail custody, while 13 are on the run. On behalf of the fugitives, state appointed lawyers moved their cases.
Special prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam said they had been able to establish the case and hoped the accused would be awarded maximum punishment.
Of the eight accused, Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, Emdadul Haque Emdad and GM Rasheduzzaman Shaon made confession in the case under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
On Nov 19,accused Nahid and his brother-in-law Ruhul Amin testified to the court. Nahid 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 madrasa of Bhola, 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 completed cross-examination of Detective Branch Police Inspector Tajul Islam who is the Investigation Officer in the case. Of 60 witnesses, 33 testified to the court in the case. – Court Correspondent
