Avijit murder convict Farabi released on bail

Shafiur Rahman Farabi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of US-based Bangladeshi writer-blogger Avijit Roy, was released on bail on Friday.

Farabi walked out of Kashimpur High Security Central Jail at 10:15 a.m., confirmed Senior Jail Superintendent Abdullah Al Mamun. “We received the bail-related documents from the High Court last night. He was released this morning after verification,” he said.

The High Court had granted Farabi bail on July 30 following an appeal filed on his behalf.

Avijit Roy was killed near Dhaka University’s Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) on February 26, 2015, while leaving the Ekushey Book Fair with his wife, Rafida Ahmed Bonya. Bonya was critically injured while trying to protect her husband.

Prof. Ajoy Roy, Avijit’s father, filed a case the next day at Shahbagh Police Station against unidentified attackers.

After years of trial, a Dhaka tribunal sentenced five members of the banned militant group Ansar al-Islam to death and handed Farabi a life term on February 16, 2021. Those sentenced to death are Sayed Mohammad Ziaul Haque (alias Major Zia), Akram Hossain, Abu Siddiq Sohel, Mozammel Hossain Saimon, and Arafat Rahman Siam. Major Zia and Akram Hossain remain at large.