7-murder: AG for upholding trial court verdict

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam today prayed to the High Court to uphold the trial court verdict that sentenced 26 people, including 16 former Rapid Action Battalion men, to death and jailed nine others for various terms for killing seven people in Narayanganj in April, 2014.

The offence of killing seven persons in Narayanganj was committed by the accused Rab personnel in exchange of money paid by Nur Hossain Nur, who was a ward councillor of Narayanganj city, he said while placing his concluding arguments before the HC on the death references and appeals in the sensational Narayanganj seven-murder case.

He said telephone’s call-detail-record has clearly proved that Nur Hossain and dismissed Rab official Tareque Sayeed Mohammad constantly maintained active communication with the killing squad led by Maj Arif Hossain (now dismissed) and Lt commander Masud Rana (now dismissed).

The trial court verdict does not require any interference by the HC, the attorney general said, adding that if the HC fails to respond the cries of the society, the public trust on this court may be shaken.

Assistant Attorney General Bashir Ahmed argued that Nur Hossain, Tareque Sayeed, Arif Hossain and Masud Rana were in the commanding position in committing the incident of killing seven innocent people in Narayanganj.

The brutal, diabolic and gruesome incident of murder was committed in a pre-planned way without any provocation from the victims, he said, adding that death is the appropriate sentence for them.

The bench of Justice Bhabani Prasad Singh and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam will resume hearing tomorrow on the death references and appeals.

The judges began the hearing with Deputy Attorney General Abdul Mannan Mohan reading out from the paper book of the case on May 22.

Defence counsels--- Advocate Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury, Advocate SM Shahjahan, Advocate SM Abdul Mobin and Advocate Ahsan Ullah earlier placed arguments defending the accused.

Earlier on January 16, a Narayanganj court found 35 people, including 25 former Rab officials and expelled ruling Awami League man Nur Hossain, guilty of abduction and murder of seven people and destroying evidence in April 2014.

The court handed down death penalty to 26 people, including 16 former Rab members, and jailed nine others for various terms.

The bodies of seven people, including Narayanganj City Corporation councillor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were found floating in the Shitalakkhya River after they were abducted on April 27, 2014.