The state has sought the death penalty for eight people, including sacked army officer Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, accused of murdering Bangladesh LGBTQ rights activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy in Dhaka five years ago.
Golam Sarwar Khan Zakir finished making his case for capital punishment at Dhaka’s Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
Defence lawyer Nazrul Islam then began placing his arguments. Judge Mojibur Rahman Rahman set Monday to finish hearing the rest of the defence argument.
Along with Zia, a Islamist militant leader, charges were pressed against Akram Hossain, Sabbirul Hoque Chowdhury, Moulana Zunaid Ahmed, Mozammel Hossain alias Saimon, Arafat Rahman, Sheikh Abdullah, and Asadullah.
Among them, Zia, Akram, Sabbirul and Zunaid are on the run.
On Apr 25 in 2016, Xulhaz was hacked to death inside his apartment at Kalabagan along with Tonoy.
The attack was one of a series of militant-linked assassinations of secular activists and religious minorities. Investigation found Islamist militants responsible for the killings of Xulhaz and Tonoy.
An international relations graduate from Dhaka University, the 35-year-old Xulhaz joined the US embassy in 2007 before taking up what would turn out to be his last assignment at the USAID.
He also edited Roopbaan, Bangladesh’s first LGBTQ magazine.
Tonoy, 26, was involved with the Lok Natyadal theatre group. He taught drama to children at an organisation called the Peoples Theatre.
A patrolling policeman, who tried to stop the assailants, was also injured in the process. The assistant sub-inspector managed to snatch a bag containing two firearms, ammunition and a mobile phone from the assailants.
That same night Xulhaz’s brother started a murder case against five to six unidentified suspects at the Kalabagan Police Station. A separate case was also initiated over the attack on the policeman and the confiscated firearms.