Murder attempt on Prof Zafar Iqbal: Verdict today

A Sylhet Court is set to deliver the verdict in the case filed over the attempted murder of Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology campus on March 3, 2018.

The eminent educationist and writer was attacked and stabbed in the head by a youth named Foyzul Hasan, during a programme at the university's open stage.

Sylhet Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal's judge Muhammad Nurul Amin Biplob is to deliver the verdict, said Mominur Rahman, the special public prosecutor of the court, reports our Sylhet correspondent.

"On March 10, recording of the testimonies concluded after recording 35 out of 62 total witnesses testified. Later on, March 21 and 22, the argument on the case concluded, and the court set April 26 to deliver verdict," he said.

"Prime accused Foyzul Hasan is already in jail and after the argument, the other five accused in the case were sent to jail. The verdict will be delivered in presence of all the accused," the prosecutor said.

After Prof Zafar Iqbal was attacked around 5:30pm on March 3, 2018, Foyzul was caught red-handed by the students and teachers and was handed over to the police.

Prof Zafar Iqbal was first treated at the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital and later at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.

The next day, a case was filed at the Jalalabad Police Station by the University Registrar Mohd Ishfaqul Hossain. The case, filed under Anti-Terrorism Act, was investigated by the Police Station's Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam.

After the investigation, the investigation officer on May 6 of that year pressed the charge sheet to thew metropolitan magistrate court accusing Foyzul and five others.

The accused are Foyzul's friend Md Sohag Miah, father Hafez Maulana Atiqur Rahman, mother Minara Begum, uncle Fozlur Rahman and brother Enamul Hasan.

A Sylhet court on October 4 that year formed charges against the six and later in 2020, the case was forwarded to Sylhet Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal.