Munia murder: HC accepts appeal challenging lower court order that cleared all accused, including Anvir
The court will hold a full hearing on the appeal filed by Munia's elder sister Nusrat Jahan Tania, Barrister Sarwar Hossain, lawyer for the plaintiff, told the media today (2 September)
The High Court has accepted an appeal challenging a lower court order that accepted a Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) clearing all the accused, including Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir, in a case filed over the alleged rape and murder of college student Mosarat Jahan Munia.
The HC bench of Justice Shahidul Karim and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order after a primary hearing on the appeal.
The court will hold a full hearing on the appeal filed by Munia's elder sister Nusrat Jahan Tania, Barrister Sarwar Hossain, lawyer for the plaintiff, told the media today (2 September).
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He also said Munia feared for her life and had informed Nusrat that "Anvir will kill her".
Police recovered Munia's body from a flat in the capital's Gulshan area on 26 April 2021.
The next day, Nusrat filed a case with Anvir as the prime accused, who was in a relationhip with Munia, on allegations of abetting suicide.
In the first three months of investigation, the police did not detain or interrogate Anvir in the case.
Then on 19 July 2021, investigating officer Abul Hasan, who was also the head of the Gulshan police station, submitted a report clearing Anvir of any wrongdoing.
On 6 September 2021, Tania filed a rape and murder case against Anvir and seven others at Dhaka's 8th Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children's Repression.
The court directed the PBI to investigate, and they submitted their final report on 19 October 2022.
On 1 January 2023, Nusrat petitioned for a new investigation, criticising the PBI's handling of the case.
On 20 March 2024, Anvir and the others were acquitted of all charges.
Then on 20 August this year, Munia's family held a press conference seeking an executive order for the reinvestigation of the case and demanding exemplary punishment for the main accused.
In the press conference Nusrat accused the Bashundhara Group of attempting to use their influence to suppress the case.
"When I went to file a case at the Gulshan Police Station, these land grabbers of Bashundhara tried to buy off the entire state machinery to cover up the incident of rape and murder," Tania said.
She further alleged that several law enforcement officials, including the then-Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, played a "shameless role in saving Anvir".
Also speaking at the press conference, Barrister M Sarwar, the lawyer representing Munia's family, pointed out that three parties failed to ensure justice—the state, the investigators, and the court.
"The state should have supervised the case, but they were compromised. The Ministry of Home Affairs has a cell responsible for monitoring important cases, but they did not fulfil their duty," Sarwar said.
He added, "Those who provided the investigation report and the court system were also compromised. Everyone knows it was the notorious former law minister Anisul Huq who managed this. His chamber has destroyed the judiciary of Bangladesh."
Nusrat expressed her frustration with not being able to meet former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, despite writing a 26-page letter to seek her attention.
"If Sheikh Hasina had not given them shelter, people like Anvir wouldn't have dared to become so reckless," she said, adding that the former prime minister even included Anvir in her entourage.
"My sister might have made some mistakes, but the extreme injustice done to her must be addressed with exemplary punishment," she said.
