Appellate Division upholds HC verdict in RU Prof Taher murder

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the High Court verdict that confirmed the death penalty for two convicts and awarded two others life-term imprisonment for killing Rajshahi University (RU) Professor S Taher in 2006.

The condemned convicts are RU Associate Prof Dr Mia Md Mohiuddin and Prof Taher's home caretaker Zahangir while the lifers are Nazmul Alam and his brother-in-law Abdus Salam. 

A sixth-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique delivered the judgment, rejecting the appeals filed by the convicts.

The body of RU Geology and Mining dept Prof Dr S Taher was recovered the manhole of the university quarter on February 1, 2006.

Later, his son Sanzid Alvi Ahmed lodged with Motihar Police Station in this connection.

On May 22, 2008, a speedy trial tribunal of Rajshahi sentenced four accused to death and acquitted two from the charges.

Subsequently, the High Court upheld the capital punishment of two out of four condemned convicts and sentenced two other ones to life-term imprisonment.

Those who got acquittal in the murder case are RU Chhatra Shibir's then president Mahbubul Alam Salehi, and Azimuddin Munshi.

FH/SU