Accused in Sagira Morshed murder case refused bail

The High Court today refused to grant bail to Maruf Reza, an accused in a 30 year old murder case of Sagira Morshed.

On July 25, 1989, the victim Sagira(34) was shot dead when she was going to Viqarunnisa Noon School in the capital's Bailey Road by rickshaw to pick up her daughter Saharat.

Abdus Salam Chowdhury, the victim's husband, filed the murder case against some unknown people with Ramna Police Station the same day. But the trial proceedings of the case had been stayed for the last 28 years following a High Court order.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim denied bail to Maruf after virtually hearing a bail petition.

The HC bench sent his bail petition to the regular bench for hearing after its reopening following the ongoing holiday, Deputy Attorney General Dr Md Bashir Ullah told The Daily Star today.

He also said Maruf cannot get released from jail following the HC order.

Advocate Abdul Matin Khasru appeared for Maruf.

On January 16 this year, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Inspector Md Rafiqul Islam submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Dhaka in the sensational murder case.

The four accused are Sagira's brother-in-law Hasan Ali Chowdhury, his wife Sayedatul Mahmuda alias Shahin, brother-in-law (wife's brother) Anas Mahmud alias Rezwan and their hired killer Maruf.

During the investigation, all four accused gave confessional statements narrating the incident.

On January 19, the court of Metropolitan Magistrate in Dhaka Md Sarafuzzaman Ansary accepted the charge sheet pressed by the PBI against the four, including Maruf.