After spending 11 long years in jail, Islamic writer and blogger Shafiur Rahman Farabi has finally been released on bail. The High Court granted him interim bail earlier, and today (22 August 2025) he walked out of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj. Farabi had been sentenced to life imprisonment in the Avijit Roy murder case but appealed against the verdict in 2021.
Farabi Walks Free After 11 Years
Popular Islamic writer and blogger Shafiur Rahman Farabi was released from Dhaka Central Jail, Keraniganj, on Friday morning (22 August 2025) after spending 11 years behind bars.
Earlier, on 31 July, a High Court bench led by Justice Md Zakir Hossain and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja granted him interim bail.
Appeal Against the Tribunal Verdict
In 2021, Shafiur Rahman Farabi filed an appeal with the High Court against the judgment of the special tribunal that sentenced him to life imprisonment. Later, on 4 August 2022, the High Court accepted the appeal for hearing.
Farabi also applied for bail while the appeal was still under trial. His bail plea came up in today’s court cause list as item number 179.
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Lawyers in the Hearing
Farabi was represented by senior lawyer SM Shahjahan and lawyer Muhammad Hujjatul Islam Khan. On behalf of the state, Deputy Attorney General Md Emran Khan was present during the hearing.
Background: Avijit Roy Murder Case
On 26 February 2015, writer-blogger Avijit Roy was hacked to death near the TSC area of Dhaka University while returning from the Amar Ekushey Book Fair. His wife Rafida Ahmed was also seriously injured in the attack.
Following the incident, Avijit’s father, Professor Ajay Roy, filed a murder case at Shahbagh Police Station in Dhaka.
Charge Sheet and Trial
After investigation, police submitted a charge sheet on 18 February 2019 against six people. Later, on 6 August 2019, the court framed charges against all six.
The state prosecution presented 28 witnesses before the tribunal.
On 16 February 2021, Judge Md Mojibur Rahman of Dhaka’s Special Anti-Terrorism Tribunal delivered the verdict.
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Five accused were sentenced to death.
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One accused, Shafiur Rahman Farabi, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Farabi then filed an appeal against this verdict in the same year.
Source: The Daily Campus
