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Murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi

SOLVED2019Feni, Bangladesh3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Nusrat Jahan Rafi was a 19-year-old student from Feni, Bangladesh, who had filed a sexual harassment complaint against Siraj Ud Doula, the principal of her madrasa. The principal gave the order to have her murdered after she refused to withdraw the complaint. She was lured to the madrasa, where assailants attempted to convince her to drop the complaint; when she refused, they poured kerosene on her and set her on fire. She suffered burns covering more than 80% of her body.

While being transported to the hospital, Rafi recorded a statement identifying some of her attackers. She died four days after the attack, on 10 April 2019, at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

The case was investigated by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). A deathbed statement in which Rafi made accusations against her murderers was recorded by Moazzem Hossain, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonagazi Thana police station. That recording was subsequently leaked by the officer to a journalist and spread widely online. Moazzem Hossain was later sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for his role in leaking the video.

Following Rafi's death, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that those responsible for the crime would be prosecuted. On 29 May 2019, the PBI announced that sixteen individuals — including two politicians — had been charged with her murder. Those charged were named as: madrassah principal SM Sirajuddowla, Awami League leader Ruhul Amin, Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Nur Uddin, Imran Hossain Mamun, Hafez Abdul Quader, Iftekhar Uddin Rana, Councillor Maksud Alam (alias Moksud), Kamrunnahar Moni, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobair, Javed, Umme Sultana Popy, Mohiuddin Shakil, Mohammad Shamim, Abdur Rahim Sharif, and Absar Uddin.

Following a fast-tracked trial at the women and children repression prevention tribunal in Feni, all sixteen defendants — including former members of the school's administration, teachers, and pupils — were found guilty and sentenced to death on 24 October 2019.

Key facts

Victims
Nusrat Jahan Rafi
Date
2019
Location
Feni, Bangladesh
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2019-04

    Nusrat Jahan Rafi is lured to her madrasa, where assailants pour kerosene on her and set her on fire after she refuses to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint against the principal.

  2. 2019-04-10

    Rafi dies of her injuries at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, four days after the attack.

  3. 2019-05-29

    The Police Bureau of Investigation states that sixteen individuals, including two politicians, have been charged with her murder.

  4. 2019-10-24

    All sixteen defendants are found guilty and sentenced to death following a fast-tracked trial at the women and children repression prevention tribunal in Feni.

Best coverage

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People

  • Nur Uddin

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Umme Sultana Popy

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Nusrat Jahan Rafi

    VICTIM

    19-year-old madrasa student who was set on fire and died from her injuries after reporting sexual harassment by her principal.

  • Kamrunnahar Moni

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Moazzem Hossain

    CONVICTED

    Officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Thana police station who recorded Rafi's deathbed statement and leaked the video; sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for the leak.

  • Iftekhar Uddin Rana

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Maksud Alam

    CONVICTED

    Local councillor (alias Moksud), charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Mohiuddin Shakil

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Hafez Abdul Quader

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Javed

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Mohammad Shamim

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Imran Hossain Mamun

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Shahadat Hossain Shamim

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Absar Uddin

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobair

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • SM Sirajuddowla

    CONVICTED

    Madrasa principal accused by Rafi of sexual harassment; convicted and sentenced to death for ordering and orchestrating her murder.

  • Abdur Rahim Sharif

    CONVICTED

    Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

  • Ruhul Amin

    CONVICTED

    Awami League leader charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Feni, Bangladesh

23.0159, 91.3976

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a 19-year-old Bangladeshi student, was set on fire in April 2019 after refusing to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint against her madrasa principal; she died four days later, and sixteen people, including the principal and two politicians, were sentenced to death.
Where did the murder happen?
Feni, Bangladesh.
Who was convicted?
Nur Uddin (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Umme Sultana Popy (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Kamrunnahar Moni (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Moazzem Hossain (Officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Thana police station who recorded Rafi's deathbed statement and leaked the video; sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for the leak.), Iftekhar Uddin Rana (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Maksud Alam (Local councillor (alias Moksud), charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Mohiuddin Shakil (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Hafez Abdul Quader (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Javed (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Mohammad Shamim (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Imran Hossain Mamun (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Shahadat Hossain Shamim (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Absar Uddin (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), Saifur Rahman Mohammad Zobair (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), SM Sirajuddowla (Madrasa principal accused by Rafi of sexual harassment; convicted and sentenced to death for ordering and orchestrating her murder.), Abdur Rahim Sharif (Charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.), and Ruhul Amin (Awami League leader charged and convicted in the murder, sentenced to death.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in Bangladesh

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Nusrat Jahan RafiWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — BBC NewsBBC News · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — CBS NewsCBS News · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 07, 2026