Journalist Aftab murder: HC upholds death penalty for 5

The High Court (HC) has upheld the death penalty for five people in a case filed for the murder of Ekushey Padak winning photojournalist Aftab Ahmed.

An HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hosen Selim and Justice Md Bashir Ullah passed the order on Wednesday. 

The death row convicts are Aftab’s car driver Humayun Kabir Molla, Habib Hawlader, Billal Hossain Kislu, Raju Munshi and Rasel. Of them, Rasel and Raju have been absconding since the case was filed.

The HC also upheld the seven-year imprisonment for Sabuj Khan in the case.  

Deputy Attorney General Samira Taranum Rabeya Miti confirmed the matter to Jago News. 

On December 24, 2013, the 80-year-old photojournalist was killed at his Wapda Road house in Rampura, Dhaka. A case was filed with Rampura Police Station accusing unnamed people. 

On March 25, 2014, Sub-Inspector Md Ashik Iqbal of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-3 submitted the charge sheet at the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court accusing the six people. 

On July 24, 2014, the court indicted the six accused.

On March 28, 2017, Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 sentenced five people to death and another to seven-year imprisonment in the case.

Aftab joined as a photographer of Bangla daily Ittefaq in 1962. He captured some images of the 1971 Liberation War and Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibur Rahman.

He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2006. On December 16, 2010, miscreants took away his award and other valuables from his house.