Court Correspondent :
The Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka yesterday (Sunday) sentenced three transport workers to death in a case filed over the murder of North South University student Saidur Rahman Payel in 2018.
Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman of the tribunal handed down the sentence in presence of the convicts at the courtroom.
The convicts are: Hanif Paribahan’s workers- Jamal Hossain, a driver; Md Jonny, a supervisor and helper Faisal Hossain.
On July 23, 2018, the body of Payel, a BBA fifth semester student at North South University of the city and son of Golam Mawla of Halishahar in Chattogram, was found in a canal under Bhaterchar Bridge in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj on Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
On March 25, 2018, accused Jonny gave a detailed account of the murder. He told the court that the Dhaka-bound bus from Chattogram was stuck in a tailback at Bahaterchar on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in the early hours of July 22 of the year.
At that time, Payel got down from the bus to respond to the call of nature. As the bus started moving when the traffic jam eased, Payel started running to catch the bus.The driver eventually stopped the bus but Payel’s head was smashed after it got stuck in the gate and he fell onto the road. He was unconscious and was bleeding profusely from mouth and nose.
Later, the supervisor informed the bus driver of the situation. After short discussion, the trio threw Payel into the canal from the nearby bridge around 4.30 am while he was still breathing.
Other passengers of the bus could not understand anything as they were asleep.
The autopsy report said Payel drowned after being thrown into the canal.
Payel’s uncle later filed the case with Gazaria Police Station. Police pressed charges on October 24 of that year. Following an appeal by Payel’s family, the case was shifted to Chattogram Speedy Trial Tribunal on December 24 the same year.
