JU Correspondent :A Dhaka Court on Sunday delivered the verdict on the killing of Zubair Ahmed, a final year English Department student of Jahangirnagar University awarding death sentence to five expelled activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and six others to life term imprisonment.Among the 13 accused, Khandaker Ashikul Islam alias Ashik, Rashidul Islam Raju, Khan Mohammad Rais Sohan, Zahid Hasan of Zoology Department and Mahabub Akram of Government and Politics Department will go to gallows for killing Zubair Ahmed in 2012.The life-term expelled are Ishtiaq Mehbub Arup of Philosophy Department, Najmus Sakib Topu of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kamruzzaman Sohag of Philosophy, Abhinandon Kundu of Statistics, Majharul Islam and Shafiul Alam Setu. Judge ABM Nizamul Haque of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 of Dhaka acquitted two other accused Mahamudul Hasan Masud of history department and Najmul Hossein Plabon of Public Administration of the charges as allegations brought against them were not proved. Zubair Ahmed was tortured and stabbed allegedly by some activists of BCL of rival group on January 8, 2012. He died from his injuries in United Hospital in the capital the next day.Both the incumbent JU administration and then Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Shariff Enamul Kabir have expressed satisfaction over the court for an exemplary verdict.Contacted, Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir said the then administration when Zubair was murdered was cordial for the proper justice and some administrative personalities delivered their record statements as witnesses. Followed by these statements and expulsion order of university against the culprits, a satisfactory verdict has been reflected, he added. Vice-Chancellor of JU Prof Dr Farzana Islam said the verdict is mostly similar with the university probe report. Such verdict would be supportive to end the violence on campuses, she added.Abdullah-Al-Mamun, brother of Zubair Ahmed, said we are informed that some of the culprits are still fugitive and they are staying abroad. We demand to the High Court to bring them in the country and ensure the speedy implementation of the verdict.Welcoming the verdict, “Santraser Birudde Jahangirnagar”, a student body against terrorism, brought out a victory procession on the campus demanding quick implementation of the verdict.JU Deputy Registrar Hamidur Rahman filed a case with Ashulia Police Station after the killing of Zubair.A Dhaka court framed charges against 13 expelled BCL men in connection with the killing on September 8 last year. The court recorded statements of 27 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case. On completion of the arguments from the prosecution and defence, the court on January 28 had fixed February 4 for pronouncing the judgment. But the new date was set as seven of the accused, now in jail, could not be produced before the court on security grounds amid the ongoing BNP-led alliance’s hartal. Earlier, police submitted the charge sheet against the accused on April 8 last year. The JU syndicate on January 30 expelled seven of the 13 accused for life and six others for two years after a probe committee found their involvement in the killing.The students, who were expelled for life, are Ashik, Rais, Zahid, Rashidul, Arup, Akram and Topu. Among them Ashik, Rais, Arup and Akram fled from country and they are still at large.
