Rajib, Dia killing in road crash: Two bus drivers, one helper get life term

A Dhaka court has sentenced two drivers of two buses of Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan and one driver's assistant to life imprisonment in a case filed in the death of two students of Shahid Ramiz Uddin Cantonment Public School and College in Kurmitola in the city.

The convicts are Masum Billah and Zobair Hossain Sumon and one driver's assistant Kazi Asad.

In addition, two other accused - bus owner Jahangir Alam and another driver's assistant Enayet Hossain - were acquitted from the case.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court announced the verdict on Sunday afternoon.

Abdul Karim Rajib, 18, and Dia Khanam Mim, 17, of Shahid Ramiz Uddin Cantonment Public School and College were killed in a road on Airport road in the city on July 29 last year that sparked protest across the country.

The court, on November 14, had set the date of delivering the verdict on completion of placing arguments from the prosecution and defence.  

Two Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan buses' two owners - Shahadat Hossain and Jahangir Alam; two drivers - Masum Billah and Zobair Hossain Sumon - and two helpers - Enayet Hossain and Kazi Asad were made accused in the case.  

Inspector Kazi Shariful Islam of Detective Branch of police submitted charge-sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka against the accused on September 6 last year.  

On October 25, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Dhaka framed charges against them.

The trial of the case began on November 1.  

On July 29, two students of Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College were run over and killed while nine other were injured as drivers of two buses of Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan were competing on the road each other.

On the same day, Jahangir Alam Fakir, father of victim Dia, filed a case with Cantonment Police Station in this connection.