Shawdesh Desk:

A Dhaka court has sentenced the driver, helper and supervisor of a ‘Hanif Paribahan’ bus to death for killing North South University student Saidur Rahman Payel in 2018.

Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Judge Abu Zafar Mohammad Kamruzzaman passed the order on Sunday.

The condemn convicts are bus driver Jamal Hossain, his helper Foysal Hossain and supervisor Jonny.

On April 2 last year, a tribunal framed charges against them in the case.

Payel, a fifth semester NSU student and son of Golam Mawla of Halishahar in Chattogram, was found dead in a canal at Bhaterchar in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj on July 23, 2018.

A case was filed against three people, including the driver, helper and supervisor of ‘Hanif Paribahan’ bus, at Gazaria Police Station the next day.

Jonny confessed to his involvement in the killing on March 25, 2018 after his arrest from Motijheel.

Police later arrested bus driver Jamal and helper Faisal from Arambagh in the capital.

In the confession Jonny told the court that the Dhaka-bound bus from Chattogram was stuck in a tailback at Bahterchar on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in the early hours of July 22.

At that time, Payel got down from the bus to respond to the call of nature. As the bus started moving when the traffic jam eased, Payel started running to catch the bus.

The driver eventually stopped the bus but Payel’s head was smashed after it got stuck in the gate and he fell onto the road. He was unconscious and was bleeding profusely from his mouth and nose.

Later, the supervisor informed the bus driver of the situation. After a short discussion, the trio threw Payel into the canal from a nearby bridge around 4:30am while he was still breathing.

Other passengers of the bus could not understand anything as they were asleep.

The autopsy report said Payel drowned after being thrown into the canal.