Sagira Morshed murder: Petition for treating accused as juvenile dismissed

A Dhaka court today dismissed a petition submitted by Maruf Reza, accused in the killing of Sagira Morshed in the capital 30 years ago, for treating him as a juvenile.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order after the lawyer for Maruf Reza submitted the petition.

In the petition, the defence lawyer said Maruf Reza was 17 years old when the incident took place in 1989. The lawyer also urged the court to send the charges brought against him to the Juvenile Court for trial.

The prosecution, however, opposed it, saying Maruf was an adult during the time of occurrence as his date of birth was on March 10, 1971. So, the petition should be dismissed, it said.

Meantime, the judge fixed November 8 for charge framing hearing against four accused including Maruf.

The others accused are: Sagira Morshed's brother-in-law Hasan Ali Chowdhury, Hasan's wife Sayedatul Mahmuda alias Shahin and brother-in-law (wife's brother) Anas Mahmud alias Rezwan.

On July 25, 1989, the victim Sagira (34) was going to Viqarunnisa Noon School in the capital's Bailey Road by a rickshaw to pick up her daughter Saharat. Sagira, however, could not reach her daughter as muggers shot and killed her in front of the school.

Abdus Salam Chowdhury, husband of the victim, filed a murder case against unknown people with Ramna Police Station the same day.