Rangpur shrine caretaker murder: HC uphold death sentences of two JMB men

The High Court on Sunday (September 6) upheld the death sentences of two members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) for the 2015 murder of shrine caretaker Rahmat Ali in Kaunia of Rangpur.

The bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Sathika Hossain also acquitted five other convicts who had been sentenced to death by a lower court.

The two whose death sentences were upheld are Masud Rana and Liton Mia.

According to the case records, Rahmat Ali, a follower of Sureshwari Pir, was killed by slitting his throat at his Darbar Sharif at Chaitar Mor in Madhupur union of Kaunia on the night of November 10, 2015. His son, advocate Shafiqul Islam, filed a murder case with Kaunia police station the following day.

Police said their investigation found that JMB members had killed Rahmat over ideological differences related to religion.

On March 18, 2018, the Rangpur Special Judge’s Court sentenced seven accused to death and acquitted six others for lack of evidence.

The death sentences were later referred to the High Court for confirmation, while the convicts filed appeals challenging their convictions.

After hearing the death references and appeals, the High Court on Sunday upheld the sentences of Masud Rana and Liton Mia and acquitted the remaining five death-row convicts.