Blogger Avijit Murder: 5 Get Death Penalty

A Dhaka court on Tuesday awarded the death penalty to five accused and life imprisonment to one for murdering blogger Avijit Roy.

Judge of Dhaka Anti-Terrorism Tribunal Md Mujibur Rahman delivered the verdict in the case filed against six Ansar al Islam leaders and activists over the killing of blogger and writer Avijit Roy in 2015.

The death row convicts are- Major (sacked) Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, Mozammel Hossain alias Saimon, Abu Siddiq Sohel alias Sakib alias Sajid alias Shahab, Akram Hossain alias Abir and Md Arafat Rahman.

Shafiur Rahman Farabi has been awarded life imprisonment.

Of them, Zia and Akram are on the run while the rest are in jail.

According to the case, On February 26, 2015, Avijit, founder of Mukto-Mona blog, and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya were attacked by some unidentified assailants near TSC on Dhaka University campus after the couple returning home from Ekushey book fair.

Avijit, also an American citizen died at the hospital after an hour while Bonya sustained critical injuries. She was later flown to the US. Police said Militants targeted the blogger for his writings. 

After the incident, Avijit’s father Prof Ajay Roy filed a case against unidentified assailants with Shahbagh Police Station.