Man gets death sentence for killing trader

A Comilla court handed down death sentence to a man for killing a trader in Debidwar upazila in 2009.

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Habibur Rahman passed the order in a full-packed courtroom yesterday.

The lone accused and convict in the case was identified as Shafikul Islam, 35, hailing from Laxmipur village of the same upazila.

According to the case statement, Nasrul Islam Sawpan was the owner of a pharmacy and mobile-recharge store in Debidwar upazila.

He sometimes used to lend money to Shafikul, a rickshaw-puller who was struggling to make ends meet, said additional public prosecutor Mozibul Haque quoting the case statement.

On October 5, 2009, Shafikul asked for a loan and Sawpan refused to give him any money. Later that evening, Shafikul killed Swapan.

The next day, Swapan’s father Abdul Jalil filed a murder case with Debidwar Model Police Station against eighteen persons, including Shafikul. 

Police investigated the matter and submitted charge sheet against Shafikul Islam, the lone accused on November 8 that year.

Shafikul confessed to a magistrate that he killed Sawpan after he was denied money. He stabbed and killed Sawpan while he was returning home.