Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the death sentence of a convict, Md Aminul Islam, on charge of killing Labaid Hospital’s doctor Nazneen Aktar and her domestic help in 2005.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain delivered the verdict through dismissing an appeal filed by Aminul challenging the High Court judgement that confirmed his death penalty.
The grounds on which the apex court upheld the HC
verdict could not be known as the full text of the SC judgement was not released instantly.
The jail authorities will execute the death sentence of Aminul after receiving the SC verdict if he does not seek review of the judgment and presidential clemency.
According to the case statement, Dr Nazneen’s husband Asaruzzaman brought his nephew (sister’s son) Aminul to Dhaka. He enrolled in Mohammadpur Central College and used to live with them.
On March 7, 2005, Aminul stabbed Dr Nazneen to death. He also killed the domestic help Parul as she witnessed the incident. Later on, police arrested him in connection with the case filed with Dhanmondi Police Station. A speedy trial tribunal in Dhaka sentenced Aminul to death on May 29 in 2008 for killing Nazneen and Parul.
After examining the death reference (trial court documents), the HC on October 10 in 2013 confirmed his death sentence in the case. In 2014, Aminul filed the appeal with the Appellate Division challenging the HC verdict.
The apex court said in its order, “The appeal is dismissed and the death sentence passed by the trial court and the same affirmed by the High Court Division is maintained. Fine imposed upon the appellant is set aside.”
Lawyer ABM Bayezid appeared in the hearing for Aminul, while Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Debnath represented the state.
After the judgment Advocate Bayezid who was appointed by the state for Aminul said there was no eyewitness in the case except the confessional statement of the accused. That is why we could not find any explanation for what motive he committed the murder.
According to the confessional statement, Aminul was 18-year old during the incident.
In the statement he confessed to the murder saying that his aunt (Dr Nazneen) beat him with sandal and broom since he had have a lunch after cooking it with the doorman following a day long hungry. It hurt his ego seriously.
At one stage Aminul snatched the broom from Nazneen and hit her that laid her on the floor. He then stabbed her to death.
