The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has fixed dates for final appeal hearings in three high-profile murder cases involving Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) student Abrar Fahad, the Narayanganj seven-murder case and retired Army Major Sinha Md Rashed Khan.
On Sunday, Appellate Division Chamber Judge Md Rezaul Haque scheduled the Narayanganj seven-murder appeal for 17 November, the Abrar Fahad murder appeal for 24 November and the Major Sinha murder appeal for 1 December.
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kajol confirmed the hearing dates.
The three cases have been awaiting final appeal hearings following High Court judgements that upheld death sentences handed down by the trial courts.
Narayanganj seven-murder case
On 27 April 2014, seven people, including councillor Nazrul Islam and lawyer Chandan Sarkar, were abducted from the court area in Narayanganj.
They were subsequently murdered, and their bodies were dumped into the Shitalakshya River.
Following the trial court verdict, the High Court delivered its judgement on 22 August 2017, upholding the death sentences of 15 of the 26 convicts.
The case has since been awaiting a final appeal hearing before the Appellate Division.
Abrar Fahad murder case
Abrar Fahad, a student at BUET, was beaten to death by a group of leaders and activists of the university unit of Chhatra League at Sher-e-Bangla Hall on the night of 7 October 2019.
Following hearings on appeals and the death reference against the trial court verdict, the High Court delivered its judgement on 16 March 2025.
The court upheld the death sentences of 20 convicts and life imprisonment for five others.
The case is now awaiting its final appeal hearing before the Appellate Division.
Major Sinha murder case
Retired Bangladesh Army Major Sinha Md Rashed Khan was shot dead by police at the Shamlapur checkpoint in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, on the night of 31 July 2020.
Following the trial court verdict, the High Court delivered its judgement on 2 June 2025, upholding the death sentences of Pradeep Kumar Das, then officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, and Liakat Ali, then inspector at the Baharchhara police investigation centre.
The case has remained pending before the Appellate Division since the High Court judgement.
