SC upholds death sentence of Shahid for Shazneen murder

The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday rejected a petition filed by Shahidul, condemned for the murder of Scholastica student Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, to review his death sentence.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, rejected the petition of Shahidul Islam alias Shahid, who was a domestic help in Shazneen's house, reports UNB news agency.

Earlier on 2 August last, the SC upheld the death sentence of Shahidul and acquitted four others condemned in the murder case after hearing appeals against a High Court verdict.

The acquitted are Syed Sajjad Mainuddin Hasan, a contractor for repairs of the house, Sajjad's assistant Badal and maids Estema Khatun Minu and Parvin.

On 23 April 1998, Shazneen, a class IX student of Scholastica School in the city and daughter of Transcom Group chairman Latifur Rahman, was murdered at her house.

On 2 September 2003, judge of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Kazi Rahmatullah handed down death penalty to six accused for their involvement in planning and executing the murder.

Lawyer of the plaintiff SM Shahjahan said Shazneen's father Latifur Rahman filed a murder case after the incident.

Later, Detective Branch (DB) of police filed another case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.

On 10 July 2006, the High Court upheld the death penalty of five convicts and acquitted carpenter Shaniram Mandal of the charges.

Later, four of the condemned filed a leave-to-appeal with the Supreme Court against the High Court order that was granted by the Appellate Division on 26 April 2009.

Source: Prothom Alo