Shazneen's 20th death anniversary today
Today is the 20th death anniversary of Shazneen Tasnim Rahman.
On this day in 1998, 15-year-old Shazneen was raped and brutally murdered in a planned manner at her house in the capital's Gulshan area.
Shazneen, who was a class-IX student of Scholastica School, was murdered on the night of April 23.
Nearly 19 years after the shocking incident, the convict in the Shazneen rape and murder case, Shahidul Islam alias Shahid, was hanged at Kashimpur High Security Prison in Gazipur last year.
A Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression delivered the verdict in September 2003, sentencing six accused to death for the rape and murder.
They are domestic help Shahidul, a contractor renovating the house Syed Sajjad Mainuddin Hasan and his assistant Badal, housemaids Estema Khatun Minu and her sister Parvin and carpenter Shaniram Mandal.
After the lower court verdict, the death reference reached the High Court for confirmation of the sentence. At the same time, the accused appealed to the HC against their conviction and sentence. The HC acquitted Shaniram.
Later on, Hasan, Badal, Minu and Parvin appealed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the HC verdict. Shahidul filed a jail appeal.
On August 2 in 2016, the Appellate Division granted the appeals of Hasan, Badal, Minu and Parvin and dismissed Shahidul's appeal.
On March 5 last year, the apex court rejected Shahidul's petition for review of the verdict. He sought presidential mercy, which was turned down by the president. He was executed on November 29.
Like every year, Shazneen's family has arranged a milad mehfil after the Asr prayers at 5:30pm today at their residence -- House NE(J) 4, Road 83, Gulshan-2 in the capital.
Shazneen's father Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Group, and mother Shahnaz Rahman, have requested all relatives, friends and well-wishers to attend the milad mehfil.
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