Blogger Avijit murder case: verdict on February 16

A Dhaka tribunal today set February 16 to deliver the judgment against six members of banned militant outfit Ansar al Islam in blogger and writer Avijit Roy murder case.

Judge Md Majibur Rahman of Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal of Dhaka set the date as the arguments in the case, filed in February 2015, concluded yesterday.

The defence sought acquittal of their clients from the case.

The six accused are: Sayed Mohammad Ziaul Haque alias Maj (sacked) Zia, Akram Hossain Abir, Mozammel Hossain Saymon, Abu Siddiq Sohel, Arafat Rahman Siam and Shafiur Rahman Farabi.

Law enforcers are looking for Zia and Akram as they are on the run. The rest of the accused are in jail.

Earlier, 28 prosecution witnesses, including Avijit's father Prof Ajoy Roy, who passed away on December 9, 2019, gave depositions before the tribunal.

On February 26, 2015, US-based Bangladeshi blogger Avijit Roy and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya were attacked with sharp weapons near TSC of Dhaka University by a gang of assailants when the couple was walking out of the Ekushey Book Fair around 8:30pm.

Prof Ajoy filed the murder case accusing unidentified assailants with Shahbagh Police Station the next day.

Bonya is now living in the United States. She suffered severe injuries when she tried to protect her husband from the attackers.