A man died after falling ill in a Dhaka courtroom on Tuesday moments after hearing that his nephew had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a drug case.
Judge Md Nurul Islam of the Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court sentenced nine people, including Md Mithun, to five years in jail and fined each Tk5,000.
Mithun’s uncle, Ayub, who was present in the courtroom during the pronouncement of the verdict, suddenly fell ill and was rushed to Dhaka National Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Farukul Islam Dewan, bench assistant to the court, said Mithun was the only convict present when the verdict was delivered.
“The court sentenced all nine accused to five years’ imprisonment. During the proceedings, Mithun’s uncle, who was in the courtroom, suddenly fell ill. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died,” he said.
The other convicts are Md Murad, Chabir, Md Raja, Md Masum Hossain, Md Billal, Raja, Md Wahidul Sanu and Md Jumma Mia. As they remain absconding, the court issued warrants for their arrest to execute the sentence.
According to the prosecution, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-2 conducted a raid at Geneva Camp in Mohammadpur on 26 May 2018 following a tip-off about drug dealing. During the operation, nine people were arrested with 1,950 yaba tablets.
Police Inspector Ekramul Haque Chowdhury filed the case with Mohammadpur Police Station the same day. The chargesheet against the nine accused was submitted on 22 July 2018.
The court framed charges on 27 May 2019, formally opening the trial. Four prosecution witnesses testified before the court before the verdict was delivered.
