A sessions court in Maulvibazar has sentenced two brothers to death and handed life imprisonment to two accomplices over the brutal murder of a local community mediator. The verdict, delivered over a decade after the crime took place, also resulted in the acquittal of four other co-accused due to a lack of evidence.
Judge Fahmida Khatun of the Maulvibazar Additional Sessions Judge Court-1 handed down the sentences on Thursday, 17 September.
The court awarded the death penalty to brothers Rubel Miah and Ruman Miah, both residents of Muniarpaar village in Rajnagar upazila, for their direct involvement in the killing. Two other co-defendants from the same village, Joynal Abedin and Ripon Miah, received life sentences for abetting the murder. When the verdict was announced, defendants Ruman Miah and Joynal Abedin were present in the dock, whilst Rubel Miah and Ripon Miah remained absconding.
Case details reveal that the victim, 45-year-old Azizul Miah, served as an esteemed arbitrator within the local village council, regularly mediating disputes in the community. In 2013, an altercation arose between Azizul and the defendants following a contentious local arbitration meeting. Driven by that dispute, the accused formed an unlawful assembly, ambushed Azizul Miah, and fatally assaulted him.
Following the murder, the victim’s wife, Rabeya Begum, filed a formal murder case at Rajnagar Police Station. Police subsequently conducted an investigation and submitted a charge sheet against eight individuals. Following an extensive trial involving witness testimony and legal arguments, the court found the primary allegations proven beyond reasonable doubt. Meanwhile, Swapan Miah, Johir Miah, Komru Miah, and Foysal Miah were acquitted of all charges.
Defense counsel announced intentions to challenge the conviction in the High Court Division. Conversely, the victim’s family expressed satisfaction with the verdict. Advocate Md Abdul Waheed, Additional Public Prosecutor at the Maulvibazar District Court, stated that the judgment reinforces public faith in the judicial system by demonstrating that severe crimes will not go unpunished.
