One sentenced to death for Krishna Kaberi murder

A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced a man in absentia to death, for killing college teacher Krishna Kaberi Biswas in the capital's Mohammadpur area in March 2015.

Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka handed down the sentence in absence of the lone accused, KM Zahirul Islam Palash, in the murder case.

Palash, a manager of brokerage house Haji Ahmed Brothers and Securities, went into hiding after getting bail from the High Court.

After cross-examination of all 23 prosecution witnesses including complainant of the case, the judge delivered the judgment observing that the convict could not get any mercy from the court for his heinous offence.

Soon after the verdict, the victim's husband Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas, and her brother Sudhangshu Shekhar Biswas -- also the complainant of the case -- expressed their satisfaction over the judgment, and urged the government to arrest the convict for his immediate execution.

The punishment of the fugitive will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender, the judge said in the verdict, adding that the convict was sentenced to life in jail for injuring victim's husband and her two daughters.

But life-term imprisonment will not be applicable if the convict is hanged for the murder, subject to confirmation of the High Court.

Krishna Kaberi Biswas, 36, wife of BRTA deputy director Sitangsu and a former teacher of Mission International College on lqbal Road in Mohammadpur, was killed at their flat on March 30, 2015.

Sitangshu, their 14-year-old daughter Srabani Biswas Sruti and eight-year-old daughter Arti Biswas Adity were also injured in the attack.

According to the case statement, on the night of March 30, the killer entered the flat of Sitangshu to belatedly greet him on his birthday. He then hit Sitangshu's head with a hammer after drugging him with contaminated juice.

As Krishna wanted to save her husband, the killer hacked her with a kitchen knife and later set her on fire. She died the following day.

Victim's brother Sudhangshu filed a murder case against Palash with Mohammadpur Police Station.

On October 8, 2015, Palash was sent to jail after his surrender before a Dhaka court seeking bail. Palash later gave a confessional statement before a magistrate.

Detectives pressed charges against Palash on May 30, 2016 while charges were framed against him on April 20, 2017.