5 sentenced to death Basu murder case in Gopalganj

A court has sentenced five accused to death in the murder case of former Gopalganj Motor Workers Union president Saidur Rahman Basu. The court also sentenced four accused to imprisonment for life until death and 11 others to life imprisonment.

The verdict was delivered on Wednesday January 28 by Judge Md Rahibul Islam of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1, tribunal prosecutor Abdur Rashid Molla confirmed.

Those sentenced to death are Bulbul Sheikh, Hedayet Sheikh, Tafsir Sheikh, Kibria Al Kazi and Jhantu Sheikh.

According to the case details, on the night of February 17, 2016, Saidur Rahman Basu was attacked with sharp weapons and beaten by a group of assailants while returning home to Moulvipara from the Kuadanga Motor Workers Union office in Gopalganj. The attackers left him critically injured and fled.

He was later rescued and admitted to Pangu Hospital in Dhaka, where he died the following day while undergoing treatment.

On February 19, Basu’s younger brother Jasu Sheikh filed a murder case with Gopalganj Sadar police station. After investigation, on July 12 of the same year, sub-inspector Hazrat Ali of Gopalganj Sadar police station submitted a charge sheet against 23 accused.

On August 29, 2017, then district and sessions judge Md Dalil Uddin ordered the commencement of trial by framing charges. Later, on August 16, 2018, the case was transferred to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 to expedite the trial.