Finish professor Taher murder trial swiftly, demands Rajshahi University teachers

Rajshahi University’s geology and mining department teachers on Tuesday demanded quick disposal of the case filed over the murder of professor S Taher Ahmed 15 years ago, reports news agency UNB.

They made the demand at a programme at the department marking the 15th death anniversary of their colleague.

Professor Taher’s body was recovered from sewerage near his residence two days after he had gone missing on 1 February 2006.

A Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal on 22 May 2008, sentenced to death four men, including the department’s teacher Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin, for the murder. The others are – caretaker of Taher’s residence Jahangir Alam, his brother Abdus Salam and brother-in-law Nazmul.

The tribunal also acquitted two persons, including former RU Chhatra Shibir president Mahbubul Alam Salehi.

Later on 13 May 2013, the High Court upheld the death penalty of Mohiuddin and Jahangir but sentenced Salam and Nazmul to imprisonment until death.

After the verdict, the family of the teachers moved the apex court seeking maximum penalty for the accused including Shibir leader Salehi. The trial is still going on.

Geology and mining department chairman Md Sultan-Ul-Islam presided over the programme while the department’s professor Md Hamidur Rahman, professor M Habibur Rahman, professor Younus Ahmed Khan, director of Institute of Environmental Science Golam Sabbir Sattar, among others, spoke at the programme.