BANGLADESH: HC UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCES OF PRADEEP, LIAKAT

June 4, 2025:

The High Court (HC) on June 2, 2025 upheld the death sentences of former OC Pradeep Kumar Das and former inspector Liakat Ali in the widely discussed murder case of Major (Retd) Sinha Md Rashed Khan.
A HC bench comprising Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman and Justice Md Sagir Hossain announced the verdict.
At the same time, the court has upheld the life imprisonment sentences of six other accused. Additionally, the court maintained the order for each accused to pay a fine of Tk50,000.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Assistant Attorney General Sumaiya Binta Aziz appeared for the prosecution during the hearing. Advocates SM Shahjahan, Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury, and others represented the accused.
According to the case details, on the night of July 31, 2020, at approximately 9:30pm, Major (Retd) Sinha was shot dead at the Shamlapur checkpoint on the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf Marine Drive by Inspector Liakat Ali.
Five days later, on August 5, 2020, Sinha’s sister Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous filed a case with the court.
On December 13, 2020, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) submitted a charge sheet accusing 15 individuals. The charge sheet described the killing as a “pre-meditated murder.”
On January 31, 2022, Judge Mohammad Ismail of the Cox’s Bazar District and Sessions Judge Court delivered the verdict.
In the judgment, Pradeep Kumar and Liakat Ali were sentenced to death.
Additionally, Sub-Inspector Nanda Dulal Rakshit, constable Rubel Sharma, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sagar Deb, and constables Nurul Amin, Nezam Uddin, and Mohammad Ayaz Uddin were handed life imprisonment.
The remaining seven accused were acquitted.
Subsequently, on February 8, 2022, the death reference was sent to the High Court for confirmation. At the same time, the convicted individuals, who were in custody, filed appeals.
Later, the Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, formed a High Court bench to prioritize and dispose of both the death reference and the appeals.