A court in Barguna has rejected a bail petition filed by Ayesha Siddika Minni, wife of slain Shahnewaj Rifat Sharif, in a case filed over her husband's murder.
Judge Asaduzzaman of Barguna District and Sessions Judge’s Court handed the order after hearing in the case in absentia.
The investigating officer (IO) of the case produced the case documents before the court during the hearing while Minni's counsels moved a bail petition.
Earlier on Jul 23, Minni’s lawyers filed a fresh petition with the court after it rejected another bail plea on Jul 21.
On Jul 16, police arrested Minni after taking her in for questioning about the broad daylight killing of her husband Rifat Sharif, to which she was the key witness. The court placed her on a five-day remand the following day.
On Jul 19, she confessed to her involvement in the murder.
A group of assailants stabbed Rifat Sharif to death in front of his wife Ayesha Siddiqa Minni outside Barguna Government College on the morning of Jun 26.
A video of the attack later went viral on the internet, which sparked outrage throughout the country. Two men were seen hacking Rifat with sharp weapons as Minni desperately tried to save him.
Rifat was taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
In the same day, the victim’s father, Dulal Sharif, filed a case against 12 people, including prime suspects Sabbir Ahmed Nayan alias Nayan Bond and Rifat Farazi.