A special tribunal is scheduled to deliver the verdict in the case lodged over the murder of Sonagazi madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who was set on fire after refusing to withdraw sexual harassment charges against the madrasa principal.

Judge Md Mamunur Rashed of Feni Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal set Thursday (Oct 24) to deliver the verdict after concluding trial on Sept 30.

“We hope that the accused will be given capital punishment,” said Public Prosecutor Hafez Ahmed and added that all the accused are behind bars and will be presented in court during the delivery of the verdict.

Meanwhile, police arranged security for Nusrat’s family and tightened surveillance in Feni Sadar and Sonagazi ahead of the verdict which is being handed out within seven months of the incident.

“We have set up three-tier security at the court premises,” said Superintendent of police Md Nurunnabi.

Nusrat, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa was torched on the roof of the madrasa after being tricked there by the followers of madrasa principal Siraj-ud-Daula on Apr 6.

The Alim examinee was set on fire for refusing to withdraw a sexual harassment case she had filed against Siraj who was arrested on Mar 27.

According to the case documents, after being taken to the hospital, Nusrat said that the day of the murder, she rushed to the roof on hearing that one of her friends who is a witness to the sexual harassment case was being beaten up.

Four burqa-clad people, who were later identified to be Siraj’s cronies, had their faces covered and poured kerosene on her and set her on fire when she refused to withdraw the charges, she had said.

On Apr 8, her brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed a case over the incident accusing eight people, including the principal.

The 18-year-old died five days after the attack on Apr 10 at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Her killing sparked outrage and protests against oppression of women and girls, drawing attention of the international media and prompting government high-ups, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to pledge justice for the girl.

On Jun 29, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) charged 16 people with the murder.

The 16 indicted over the murder are Siraj, Nur Uddin, Shahadat Hossain Shamim, councilor Maksud Alam, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobair, Shakhawat Hossain Jabed, Hafez Abdul Kader, Absar Uddin, Kamrun Nahar Moni, Umme Sultana Poppy, Abdur Rahim Sharif, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Imran Hossain Mamun, Mohammad Shamim, Ruhul Amin, and Mohiuddin Shakil.

Previously, the police, citing confessional statements from the suspects said that Nur Uddin met with Siraj in jail on Apr 4 and planned the attack with the others the following day.

They added that another accused Shamim got involved in the attack because Nusrat had refused his proposal for a relationship.

The accused who directly took part in the attack were identified as Nusrat’s classmates Zubair, Moni, Poppy and Jabed along with Shamim, according to the police.

Poppy who is Siraj’s niece, called and followed Nusrat to the rooftop while Moni pinned the victim down and Jabed doused her with kerosene and set her alight with a matchstick, law enforcers said citing their statements.

They said Moni, who is related to Shamim, also admitted to purchasing the burqas and handing those over to him.

The police said that Shamim used to work for local ward councillor Maksud, who knew about the incident and funded the burqas and kerosene.