The verdict in the murder case of Sumaiya Afrin Rinthi, 23, a student of the 2021-22 academic session in the Department of Public Administration at Comilla University (CoU), and her mother Tahmina Begum, 52, has been deferred.
Although the verdict was scheduled to be delivered on Thursday, it has been postponed, and the court set next Wednesday as the new date for the announcement.
Al-Amin, brother of Sumaiya, confirmed the development on Thursday. He said that the verdict was not announced on the previously fixed date and next Wednesday has been determined as the new date for delivering the verdict.
Earlier, arguments in the case concluded on 27 October, after which Thursday was set for the verdict announcement.
Sohel Hossain, advocate in the case, said that an application was submitted to the court seeking the maximum punishment of the death sentence for the accused, expressing hope that the court would award the maximum penalty.
According to case details, Sumaiya and her mother Tahmina Begum were killed on 7 September 2025 at a rented house in Kaliajuri area of Cumilla city. Police recovered their bodies from the house the following day, on 8 September.
Following the incident, a murder case was filed by the victims’ family with Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station.
Police arrested the accused, Md Mobarak Hossain, 29, following the incident. On 9 September, he admitted his involvement in the killings in a confessional statement recorded under the Code of Criminal Procedure before a Cumilla court.
According to investigation information, Mobarak had become acquainted with Sumaiya’s family through exorcism and had been visiting the house for about a month prior to the incident.
In his confessional statement, he admitted to raping Sumaiya and killing her mother Tahmina Begum when she witnessed the act.
