Three years after the seven-murder incident in Narayanganj, a lower court sentenced 26 people, including a former city councillor and three former Rab officials, to death. The following year, the High Court upheld the death penalty for 15 of them and commuted the sentences for the rest.

However, with the case still pending with the Supreme Court after 11 long years, the victims' families continue to wait for the execution of the culprits' punishment.

On April 27, 2014, seven people, including then Narayanganj City Corporation councillor and panel mayor Nazrul Islam and lawyer Chandan Sarkar, were abducted from the Dhaka-Narayanganj link road. On April 30, their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakkhya river.

The other victims were Nazrul's close aide Tajul Islam, his friend Sirajul Islam Liton, Moniruzzaman Swapan, Swapan's driver Jahangir Alam, and advocate Chandan's driver Md Ibrahim.

Members of the victims' families and their lawyers have alleged that the former Awami League government was reluctant to execute the verdicts.

At the time of Jahangir's death, his wife Shamsunnahar Akter Nupur was seven months pregnant. Their only daughter, Roza Akhter Jannat, who will turn 11 this July, now studies at a local madrasa.

"I never saw my father after I was born, nor did I receive his love or affection. At madrasa, my friends are often dropped off and picked up by their fathers. When my mother or grandmother is late to pick me up, I miss my father terribly," Roza said.

Jahangir's wife, Shamsunnahar, alleged that justice had been delayed because "then government officials" were involved in the crime. "Now that the Awami League government is no longer in power, why is the trial still stalled?" she questioned.

Abul Khayer, father of victim Tajul Islam, said, "We are still holding onto the hope of seeing justice served. But parents of many victims have already passed away. I fear I might too, without seeing the punishment."

On January 16, 2017, the Narayanganj District and Sessions Judge's Court sentenced 26 accused, including former councillor Nur Hossain and three former Rab officials, to death. The accused later appealed to the High Court.

In August 2018, the HC upheld the death penalty for 15 of the accused and commuted the sentences for the others. The case has since remained pending, awaiting SC hearing, said Abul Kalam Azad, public prosecutor of the Narayanganj District Court.

Councillor Nazrul's wife, Selina Islam, said, "If such a brutal killing goes unpunished, it will only embolden the criminals. Even after verdicts were delivered in both the lower and higher courts, the sentences are yet to be carried out. We continue to live in fear and uncertainty because of this."

Although the case is pending, there has been no hearing for years, said the compainant's lawyer and convener of the Narayanganj city unit of BNP Sakhawat Hossain Khan.

Public Prosecutor Abul Kalam Azad said, "The attorney general and the state prosecutors are working to expedite the case. The interim government also wants the final verdict to be delivered within a specific timeframe."