National

4 get death penalty in blogger Ananta Bijoy murder case

A court has sentenced four people to death and acquitted two others in a case filed over the murder of blogger Ananta Bijoy Das.

Judge Nurul Amin Biplob of the Sylhet Anti-Terrorism Tribunal passed the verdict at 12:30pm on Wednesday.

The death-row convicts are Abul Khayer alias Rashid Ahmed, Abul Hosen alias Abul Hussain, Harunur Rashid and Foysol Ahmed. Of them, Abul Hosen is in jail and the rest are on the run.

The acquitted people are Shafiur Rahman Farabi and Mannan Ehiya alias Mannan Rahee. Of them, Rahee died in jail. 

On May 12, 2015, Ananta was hacked to death on his way to workplace at Subidbazar area in Sylhet. The banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team claimed the responsibility of the murder.

Later, Ananta’s elder brother Ratneswar Das filed a case against four unidentified people with the Airport Police Station in Sylhet.

Criminal Investigation Department Inspector Arman Ali, also the investigation officer in the case, submitted a supplementary charge sheet with the court against six accused on 5 February, 2017.

On May 23, 2017, charges framed against the accused and the case was transferred to Sylhet Anti-Terrorism Tribunal.