The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to engage lawyers within seven days to defend six absconding death-row convicts in connection with the sensational Narayanganj seven-murder cases. The HC bench, comprising Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Jahangir Hossain, passed the order after hearing an application filed by the Death Reference Section of the Supreme Court, seeking its order on the appointment of state defence for the convicted fugitives.
The court also accepted for hearing a petition filed by Sainik Abdul Alim, one of the convicts, after his surrender, challenging the lower court order.
Four of the fugitives—Md Abdul Alim, Md Mohiuddin Munshi, Al Amin Sharif and Md Tajul Islam—are former soldiers of the Bangladesh Army, sacked by the defence services after their involvement in the crime came to light. The other two absconders are Sanaullah Sana and Shahjahan, aides of Nur Hossain, death-row convict and ex-councillor of the Narayanganj City Corporation. Lawyers said that once the state lawyers were appointed by the government, the death reference would be ready for hearing. On May 7, the documents relating to the Narayanganj seven-murder cases reached the HC before the hearing on the death reference and appeals.
Sabbir Faiz, additional registrar of the HC, told The Independent that copies of the two bound volumes of about 6,000 pages had reached the court.
On completion of relevant procedures, the Chief Justice is likely to assign an HC bench to hear the death reference and appeals, he said.
The paper book contains all the details of the case including trial proceedings, statements, evidence, verdicts and other documents.  Lower Courts often award the death sentence to an accused for committing grave offences. The lower court’s judgment is examined by the HC as it involves terminating a convict’s life. A paper book on the lower court verdict is sent to the HC for scrutiny, which is known as a death reference.
The HC disposes of a death reference after examining whether a condemned prisoner deserves the capital punishment. If the convict does deserve the death penalty, the HC upholds the lower court’s verdict. When the HC confirms the death sentence of an accused or acquits him/her, the aggrieved side can file an appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the verdict.
On January 16, Narayanganj district sessions judge Syed Enayet Hossain sentenced 26 people, including former Narayanganj City Corporation councillor Nur Hossain and dismissed RAB officials Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, Maj. Arif Hossain and Lt Com. MM Rana, to death in the seven-murder case.
Twenty-three among the total number of people accused in the case, including Nur Hossain and the dismissed RAB officials, were present in the court when the verdict was read out. Twelve were, however, on the run, and still remain at large.
The other condemned convicts are Mizanur Rahman Dipu, Abdul Alim, Mohinuddin Munshi, Lans Nayek Hira Miah, Sipahi Abu Toiyob, Selim, Sanaullah Sana, Shah Jahan, Jamal Uddin, Asad-uj-jaman Noor, Purnendu Bala, ROG Arif Hossain, Al Amin, Tajul Islam, Enamul, Belal Hossain, Shihab Uddin, Mortuja Jaman Churchill, Ali Mohammad, Abul Basher, Raham Ali and Emdadul Haque.
The Narayanganj court also gave seven to 17 years’ imprisonment to nine others accused in the case.
On April 17, 2014, seven people, including NCC panel mayor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were abducted from Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road. Later, their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakkhya river.
In all, 35 people, including the main accused Nur Hossain, were indicted in the two cases filed over the incident—one filed by Nazrul’s family and the other by Chandan Sarkar’s family. Of them, 26 were RAB personnel and eight others were reportedly associates of Nur Hossain.
 After the investigation, which lasted almost a year, police pressed charges against Nur Hossain, three senior officers of the Narayanganj-based RAB battalion and 31 others.