Sirajganj man sentenced to death for killing father over land dispute

A Sirajganj court has handed down the death penalty to a man for killing his father after he refused to transfer land to him.

Two women, including the man's stepmother and wife, have also been jailed in the case.

The verdict was delivered by Sirajganj Additional District and Sessions Judge Md Mahbubur Rahman on Sunday in the presence of the convicts, according to Public Prosecutor Abdul Latif.

The capital punishment recipient is Rezaul Karim Labu, the son of Idris Ali from Kaimajuria village in Salanga.

Idris Ali’s second wife, Renuka Begum, and Labu’s wife, Ismat Ara, were each sentenced to three months in prison.

According to the case dossier, police recovered Idris Ali’s body from a pond in Salanga's Olidah village on Mar 4, 2020. Labu initially filed a case against unidentified suspects over the killing.

However, during the investigation, police discovered that the murder was carried out by family members following a land dispute. Labu, the case’s original plaintiff, was later arrested.

He then gave a confessional statement under Section 164 in court, admitting that his father was killed on the night of Mar 3, 2020 after refusing to transfer land. He said that Renuka Begum and Ismat Ara assisted in the killing.

The case also stated that Idris Ali’s body was dumped in a pond to cover up the crime. The investigating officer later submitted a charge sheet against the three accused.

In addition to the death sentence, Labu was fined Tk 50,000 and will serve a further six months in prison if he fails to pay, according to PP Latif.

Renuka and Ismat were also fined Tk 500 each, with an additional 15 days in prison in default of payment.