HC begins hearing death reference

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday began hearing, on a precedence basis, the death reference and appeals in the murder case of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a madrasa student from Sonagazi in Feni.

A High Court division bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja started its hearing on the matters. Deputy Attorney General Syed Ejaj Kabir and Assistant Attorney General Rohani Siddiqua took part in the hearing for the state.

Feni Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal on October 24, 2019, sentenced all 16 accused in the case to death and fined them Taka one lakh each.

The 16 convicts are– SM Siraj Uddoula, Md Nur Uddin, Md Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Maksud Alam, Saifur Rahman Md Zubayer, Jabed Hossain, Hafej Abdul Kader, Md Afsar Uddin, Qamrunnahar Moni, Umme Sultana Popi, Abdur Rahim Sharif, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Imran Hossain, Md Shamim, Ruhul Amin and Mohiuddin Shakil.

The case documents were sent to the High Court on October 29, 2019, for its approval.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury on June 10, 2026, constituted a dedicated High Court bench for hearing, on a priority basis, death references for confirmation of death sentences awarded under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, as well as appeals arising from the same judgments.

Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazol too formed a special prosecutors’ team to take part in the hearing of such cases.