Other girls will derail if Ayesha Siddika not meted out highest punishment

Ayesha Siddika has been sentenced to death in her husband Rifat Sharif's murder case.

In the judgment, the court said Ayesha is the main planner of the killing. Rifat's parents have lost their son due to her. There is a fear that girls with same ages of Ayesha will derail following her if an exemplary punishment is not meted out to Ayesha. So she should be given an exemplary punishment.

The court in its judgment made this observation. The full verdict was published on Saturday.

Barguna district and sessions judge Md Asaduzzaman announced the verdict on 30 September.

Six accused including Ayesha Siddika were sentenced to death among ten accused. Four accused were acquitted of the charges.

Ayesha Siddika's father has gone to Dhaka to file an appeal against the verdict.

In the beginning Ayesha was the prime witness in the case. Later police submitted the charge sheet indicting Ayesha.

The judge in the verdict said the killing by using traditional ram dao has defeated the brutality of the middle ages.

All accused in this killing are youth. People of all ages at home and abroad have watched the killing due to the information technology and social media. So there is a fear that the young generation will derail if an exemplary punishment is not meted out to the accused.

Other five accused sentenced to death are Rakibul Hasan Rifat Farazi, 23, Al Quayum alias Rabbi Akon, 21, Mohaiminul Islam alias Sifat, 19, Rejwan Ali Khan alias Tiktok Ridoy, 22, and Md Hasan, 19.

The verdict says, "It has been undoubtedly proved that the accused committed the offence of CrPC section 302 (conspiracy) by killing victim Rifat Sharif with common intention in a planned way. As per Section 302, whoever commits murder shall be punished with death, or 2[imprisonment] for life, and shall also be liable to fine."

Ayesha's father Mozammel Hossain received the copy of the verdict on Saturday evening. He immediately set out for Dhaka.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said orders have been given to file appeal against the verdict within seven working days.

Her father claims his daughter is guiltless.

Ayesha has been presented as the key planner of the murder in the police investigation to protect the influential people who controlled the drug trade and created Noyon Bond. He hopes Ayesha will get justice in the higher court.

ZI Khan Panna is the lawyer of Ayesha in the higher court.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said there was negligence in the police investigation in this case. The issue of drug was not taken into consideration in the investigation although the matter came up for discussion during the killing. An appeal will be filed at the higher court against this verdict.

A group of youth lynched Rifat Sharif to critically injured in broad day light at Barguna Government College area on 26 June 2019.

Ayesha took Rifat to the hospital. Later Rifat died at the hospital.

Ayesha tried to save her husband while he was being lynched. A video of the incident went viral online and this shook the country people.

After 15 months into the incident, the court in its verdict said wife Ayesha was the key planner of the killing.

Sabbir Ahmed alias Noyon Bond led the attack on Rifat. He built a dreadful terrorist group under the shelter of the ruling party. After one week into the incident, he was killed in a gunfight with police.

Of the rest accused, the trial of a 14-year-old boy is going on at a juvenile court.