A man was sentenced to death for killing a college teacher, Krishna Kaberi Biswas, in the capital’s Mohammadpur area in 2015.

The Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka Judge Shahed Nuruddin delivered the death sentence of KM Zahirul Islam Palash in the murder case in his absentia.

The case was filed by Krishna Kaberi’s brother-in-law Sudhangshu Shekhar Biswas with Mohammadpur Police Station accusing Zahirul as the lone accused.

According to the case statement, it was alleged that on the night of March 30, the killer entered the flat of Sitangshu to greet him on his belated birthday. Then Zahirul hit his head with a hammer after drugging him with contaminated juice.

As Krishna wanted to save her husband, the killer hacked her with a kitchen sickle and later set her on fire. She died the following day.

Sitangshu, deputy director of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, and their 14-year-old daughter Srabani Biswas Sruti and eight-year-old daughter Arti Biswas were also injured in the attack.