A Feni court yesterday set October 24 for delivering the verdict in the Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case.

Judge Mamunur Rashid of the district’s Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal set the date after hearing arguments from the state and defence counsel, said Feni Public Prosecutor Hafez Ahmed.

During the hearing, the state counsel said12 of the 16 charge-sheeted accused gave confessional statements under section 164.

The counsel added that they succeeded in proving that the accused are involved in the killing by presenting Nusrat’s dying statement, different audiovisual records, telephonic conversations among the accused and other evidence before the court.  

During the hearing, the defence counsel appealed for acquittal of all the accused, saying that they are innocent.

Nusrat, an Alim examinee of Sonagazi Senior Fazil Madrasa, was allegedly sexually harassed by the madrasa’s principal Siraj Ud Doula on March 27. After the incident, the victim’s mother filed a case against Siraj, who was later arrested and sent to jail.    

Since the arrest,Siraj’s associates were threatening the victim’s family to withdraw the case. But the family did not compromise, said Hafez.

On April 6, Nusrat was set on fire when she went to the madrasa to take part in an exam.

Two days later, a case was filed with Sonagazi Police Station in connection with the incident.

Around 80 percent of Nusrat’s body was burnt. After fighting for her life for five days, Nusrat died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on April 10. The incident triggered a public outcry across the country.

On May 29, the Police Bureau of Investigation pressed charges against 16 accused, including Siraj, in the murder case.

Trial of the case began on June 27 with recording testimony of the victim’s brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman. The court recorded statements of 87 witnesses, Hafez added.