Hail, people!

It was the common people who played the key role to ensure justice for the gruesome murder of 13-year-old Rajon in Sylhet.

They caught most of the 11 accused while the police were evidently negligent in taking actions against the culprits and went as far as helping the prime accused flee the country.

Again, it's the people who tracked down Quamrul Islam, the main culprit, in Saudi Arabia and handed him over to the Bangladesh mission there when the government agencies responsible for this were still toying with procedural options.

They did not stop just there. They took to the streets from time to time, demanding justice for the barbaric murder.

And yesterday, hundreds of people gathered on the premises of Sylhet Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court to hear the verdict in this chilling case of murder that shook the nation to its core.

They were chanting slogans demanding capital punishment for the killers. When the prison van carrying 11 accused entered the court premises, they even threw sand at them, in a gesture of hatred for what the culprits had done.

Akhter-uz-Zaman had come to the court from Nipaban area in Sylhet city to hear the verdict.

"I have seen the video footage. I've come here to see whether they [the culprits] are men or beasts," he said.

Ripon Mia, a neighbour of Rajon, was more aggressive. "The killers should be hanged immediately. They don't deserve to live even a single more day."

Rajon's grandmother Anwara Begum was there as well.

"He [Rajon] was born at my house and brought up at my house ... In fact, it was I who named him Rajon.

"He was a good boy … His father could not afford his education. And so he had to drop out of school," said Anwara, aged around 55, with tears rolling down her face.

On July 8, Sheikh Md Samiul Alam Rajon was beaten to death in Kumargaon Bus Stand area of Sylhet Sadar allegedly for trying to steal a rickshaw van.

After the killing, the culprits were taking his body on a microbus to dump it in a secluded place but some locals spotted them and managed to catch one from the group.

A sub-inspector of Jalalabad Police Station was withdrawn allegedly for taking bribe and helping Quamrul Islam flee to Saudi Arabia after the killing.

Alamgir Hossain, the then officer-in-charge, and Zakir Hossain, a sub-inspector of the same police station, were also suspended for negligence in arresting the killers, illicit financial transaction and misconduct with Rajon's father.

People brought out a procession hailing the verdict.

"We are happy with the verdict. Now we want quick execution of the judgment," said rickshaw-puller Delwar Hossain.

Also yesterday, a Khulna court sentenced two people to death for the barbaric killing of another teenage boy named Rakib on August 3.

Child Rights Advocacy Coalition in Bangladesh -- a platform of 10 non-government, international and civil society organisations working to ensure child rights -- lauded the government, law enforcers and the judiciary for the quick trials.

Wasim Bin Habib contributed to this report.