G- Live Desk
Published: 29th July 2026, 12:41 AM
The High Court has formally commenced priority hearings on the death references and appeals concerning the brutal murder of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.
A High Court division bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice K M Rasheduzzaman Raja initiated the hearing on Tuesday, 28 July. Following the conclusion of the opening day’s proceedings, the court scheduled the matter for further hearing on Wednesday, 29 July.
State proceedings were led by Deputy Attorney General Syed Ejaz Kabir and Assistant Attorney General Rohani Siddiqua. Lawyers confirmed that the case is being handled on an expedited basis, reflecting its profound public importance and the nature of the crime.
Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a student at Sonagazi Islamia Fazil (Degree) Madrasa in Feni, was set on fire in April 2019 after refusing to withdraw sexual harassment charges against her principal. On 24 October 2019, the Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced 16 individuals to death for their direct involvement and conspiracy in the murder.
The individuals sentenced to capital punishment in the trial court judgment are listed below:
| Serial | Name of Convicted Individual | Role / Identity at Time of Incident |
| 1 | Sm Sirajuddaula | Dismissed Principal, Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa |
| 2 | Ruhul Amin | Former President, Sonagazi Upazila Awami League |
| 3 | Maksudul Alam | Municipal Councillor, Sonagazi Municipality |
| 4 | Hafez Abdul Kader | Madrasa Teacher |
| 5 | Afsar Uddin | Madrasa Lecturer |
| 6 | Nur Uddin | Madrasa Student |
| 7 | Shahadat Hossain Shamim | Madrasa Student |
| 8 | Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobayer | Madrasa Student |
| 9 | Javed Hossain alias Sakhawat Hossain Javed | Madrasa Student |
| 10 | Kamrun Nahar Moni | Madrasa Student |
| 11 | Umme Sultana Popy alias Tuhin | Madrasa Student |
| 12 | Abdur Rahim Sharif | Co-conspirator / Local Resident |
| 13 | Eftekhar Uddin Rana | Co-conspirator / Local Resident |
| 14 | Imran Hossain Mamun | Co-conspirator / Local Resident |
| 15 | Mohammad Shamim | Co-conspirator / Local Resident |
| 16 | Mohi Uddin Shakil | Co-conspirator / Local Resident |
To expedite justice in high-profile cases involving extreme violence against women and children, Chief Justice Zubaer Rahman Chowdhury constituted a dedicated special High Court bench on 10 June. To support the swift resolution of these death references and appeals, a specialized state legal team was formed under the leadership of Attorney General Barrister Md Ruhul Kuddus Kajal, alongside Deputy Attorney Generals Mohammad Imam Hossain Tarek and Syed Ejaz Kabir, and Assistant Attorney Generals Mahbuba Tasnim Akhi, Mustafizur Rahman Mukul, Ashraful Alam, Rohani Siddiqua, and Al-Amin Siddiqui.
Under Section 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a death sentence handed down by a trial court cannot be executed without formal confirmation from the High Court Division. The comprehensive trial documentation, known as the death reference, is reviewed concurrently with any regular or jail appeals filed by the convicts before the High Court delivers its final verdict.
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