Dipan Murder Case: Death reference docs reach HC

The death reference (lower court documents) of the case, in which  eight ABT men was sentenced  to death for killing publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, has reached the High Court Division.

Officials concerned of the trial court brought the documents to the HC on Monday, Supreme Court spokesperson Mohammad Saifur Rahman told The Daily Star yesterday.

He said the death reference section of the HC will now scrutinise the documents and then will prepare the paper book for hearing the case.

After the paper book is prepared, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain may assign an HC bench for hearing, he added.

Judge Md Majibur Rahman of the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal of Dhaka on February 10 handed  capital punishment to eight ABT men for murdering publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan on October 31, 2015.

Dipan (43) was hacked to death at his office inside Aziz Super Market in the capital's Shahbagh area. The back of his neck and head was stabbed haphazardly by militants, who left him to bleed to death by locking his office from outside after the attack.

The convicts handed the capital punishment are Ansar al Islam's top commander Sayed Ziaul Haque alias Maj (sacked) Zia, "squad leader" Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Samir alias Imran, trainer Abdus Sabur alias Samad alias Sujon alias Raju, and top operatives Khairul Islam alias Fahim alias Jishan, Sheikh Abdullah, Abu Siddiq Sohel, Mozammel Hossain alias Saimon and Akram Hossein alias Hasib.

Of them, Zia and Akram are absconding, while the rest are behind bars.