High Court upholds death sentences for two JMB members, acquits five in Rangpur shrine caretaker murder

Bangladesh's High Court upheld death sentences for two members of the banned Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh over the 2015 murder of a shrine caretaker in Rangpur, while acquitting five others in the case.

The two condemned men are Md Masud Rana, also known as Montri, and Md Liton Miah, also known as Rafique. The court acquitted Md Isahaque Ali, Md Showakat Hossain, also known as Safique, Md Sarwar Hossain Sabu, also known as Mizan, Bijoy, also known as Ali and Dorji, and Chandu Mia.

A bench comprising Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Sathika Hossain delivered the ruling after hearing the death reference, which contains the trial court documents required to confirm death sentences, and appeals filed by the accused. Assistant Attorney General Md Solaiman Howlader confirmed the decision to The Daily Star.

Howlader said the state would appeal the acquittals before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court once it receives the full text of the High Court's verdict. Several lawyers, including senior counsel SM Shah Jahan, represented the accused.

According to the case documents, Rahmat Ali, 60, was attacked while returning home on the night of November 10, 2015. Assailants hacked him and slit his throat at Chaitar Mor in Madhupur union, within Kaunia upazila. His son, Shafiqul Islam, filed a murder case at Kaunia Police Station the following day.

A Rangpur special court sentenced seven JMB members to death on March 18, 2018, and acquitted six others. The High Court's ruling leaves two death sentences in place and clears five of the remaining accused.