Rubel Khan, Purbadhala (Netrakona)
A court in Netrokona has sentenced a man named Md. Russell Mia to death for slitting his sister-in-law’s throat in Purbadhala. He has also been fined Tk 50,000.
District and Sessions Judge Md. Hafizur Rahman handed down the sentence on Thursday (July 24) afternoon. The death row convict Md. Russell Mia is the son of Md. Alal Uddin of Paschimpara village in Purbadhala upazila of Netrokona. The murder victim, Lipi Akhter, is the daughter of Aftab Uddin Sarkar of Zaria village. According to the court and the case file, the accused, Russell Mia, was the cousin and brother-in-law of the deceased, Lipi Akhter. They lived next door to each other in the same house. The deceased Lipi Akhter’s husband, Md. Azizul Islam, lives in Panchagarh due to his job in the BGB. Since the deceased’s husband was not at home, the accused Russell Mia had been harassing Lipi Akhter with lewd suggestions at home and on the streets whenever he got the opportunity. At one point in the harassment, Lipi Akhter informed her husband Md. Azizul Islam, accused Russell Mia’s brother, and Russell Mia’s parents about the incident. As a result, accused Russell Mia continued to harass Lipi Akhter even more. On the day of the incident, October 3, 2020, at approximately 9:30 pm, after dinner, Lipi Akhter went to sleep with her son Alif in their West Vita residence. At 2:30 am on October 4, accused Russell Mia sneaked into Lipi Akter’s house in the dark of night and killed her by cutting her windpipe with a sharp anteater he had with him. Later, the accused himself confessed to the murder in court. He was sentenced to death in the presence of the accused. A total of 15 witnesses testified in the case. Public Prosecutor Md. Abul Hashem was present as the state’s counsel in the case, and Advocate Anisur Rahman was present as the defense lawyer.