THE abduction and murder of seven individuals, including the Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor and a senior lawyer of the District Judge’s Court in April 2014 caught worldwide attention when investigation revealed the outrageous involvement of some members of elite law enforcement agency, RAB. In the verdict, first delivered in mid January this year , a former Awami League leader, three former RAB officers including a sacked commanding officer of RAB-11 and 22 more others were sentenced to death in this sensational murder case.
However, surrounding this sensational murder case 28 out of the 35 criminals had appealed to the HC while 7 remain absconding as yet. The HC, the day before yesterday upheld the death penalty of 15, including three ex-RAB officials and expelled Awami League leader Nur Hossain, for their proven involvement in the killings and abduction of seven Narayanganj men in 2014.
The court, however, commuted the capital punishment of 11 others to life imprisonment. Additionally, it fined them Tk 20,000 each, in default of which they have to spend two more years in prison. Coupled with the family members of the dead; we too, call for quick implementation of the revised verdict delivered the day before yesterday. Perhaps the most shocking revelation in the case was the involvement of 25 members of the elite force RAB including its three sacked officers who had dreadfully turned from protectors to predators. There is much to learn for our law enforcement agencies from this astounding case.
Most of the family members of those killed had expressed satisfaction over the judgment long ago when the verdict was first delivered, but it is expected that the revised verdict should now be quickly implemented since all legal procedures including final appealing of the criminals to the HC and their review is no longer pending. Lastly, we expect the judgement to remain as a model case to serve as a deterrent against the recurrence of such heinous crimes in future.
Lastly, there is an oft-repeated saying: ‘Crime never pays’. Rather, crime costs and it costs heavily if human lives are involved. This has been amply reflected in the historic revised verdict on the Narayanganj seven-murder case.
However, surrounding this sensational murder case 28 out of the 35 criminals had appealed to the HC while 7 remain absconding as yet. The HC, the day before yesterday upheld the death penalty of 15, including three ex-RAB officials and expelled Awami League leader Nur Hossain, for their proven involvement in the killings and abduction of seven Narayanganj men in 2014.
The court, however, commuted the capital punishment of 11 others to life imprisonment. Additionally, it fined them Tk 20,000 each, in default of which they have to spend two more years in prison. Coupled with the family members of the dead; we too, call for quick implementation of the revised verdict delivered the day before yesterday. Perhaps the most shocking revelation in the case was the involvement of 25 members of the elite force RAB including its three sacked officers who had dreadfully turned from protectors to predators. There is much to learn for our law enforcement agencies from this astounding case.
Most of the family members of those killed had expressed satisfaction over the judgment long ago when the verdict was first delivered, but it is expected that the revised verdict should now be quickly implemented since all legal procedures including final appealing of the criminals to the HC and their review is no longer pending. Lastly, we expect the judgement to remain as a model case to serve as a deterrent against the recurrence of such heinous crimes in future.
Lastly, there is an oft-repeated saying: ‘Crime never pays’. Rather, crime costs and it costs heavily if human lives are involved. This has been amply reflected in the historic revised verdict on the Narayanganj seven-murder case.
