Farabi gets bail in Avijit murder case
Thu Jul 31, 2025 03:25 AM
The High Court yesterday granted bail to Shafiur Rahman Farabi, who was sentenced to life in prison by the trial court in a case over the killing of writer-blogger Avijit Roy.
The bench of Justice Md Zakir Hossain and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja passed the order following Farabi’s appeal, his lawyer Muhammad Huzzatul Islam Khan told The Daily Star.
Huzzatul said there was no legal bar now for his client’s release from jail.
Senior lawyer SM Shahjahan, accompanied by Huzzatul, appeared for Farabi, while Deputy Attorney General Imran Khan Himu represented the state during the hearing.
A group of assailants attacked US-based Bangladeshi writer-blogger Avijit and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya with sharp weapons near Dhaka University’s TSC when the couple was walking out of Amar Ekushey Book Fair on February 26, 2015.
Bonya suffered severe injuries when she tried to protect her husband from the attackers.
Avijit’s father Prof Ajoy Roy filed the murder case accusing unidentified assailants with Shahbagh Police Station the next day.
On February 16, 2021, a Dhaka tribunal sentenced five members of banned militant outfit Ansar al Islam to death and Farabi to life in jail over the killing of Avijit.
Those who got the death penalty were Sayed Mohammad Ziaul Haque alias Maj (sacked) Zia, Akram Hossain, Abu Siddiq Sohel, Mozammel Hossain Saimon and Arafat Rahman Siam.
Of them, Major Zia and Akram are still absconding, while the rest are behind bars, Huzzatul said.
