A Chittagong court has sentenced Md. Nezam Uddin to life in prison for the 2012 murder of his wife 22-year-old Shahnaz Begum, at a residential hotel in the city's Bahaddarhat area.
Chittagong's Fifth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md. Tajul Islam, delivered the verdict on Tuesday (July 21).
The court found Nezam guilty under Section 302 of the Penal Code after the testimonies of nine witnesses proved the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Alongside the life sentence, the court fined him Tk 50,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment. Nezam was present in court for the verdict and was immediately sent to jail.
According to case documents Shahnaz married Nezam in 2011. When she fell ill in September 2012, Nezam brought her from Patiya to Chittagong city, promising to get her medical treatment. Instead of visiting a hospital the couple checked into Hotel Al-Reza in Bahaddarhat. Shahnaz's body was later recovered from their room.
Following the discovery the victim's father Md. Azgar Ali filed a murder case at the Chandgaon Police Station alleging the killing was premeditated. Police investigated the incident and formally charged Nezam. The trial began when charges were framed against the accused on March 18, 2014 and concluded with today's conviction.
