Dhaka — July 31, 2025:
The High Court has granted interim bail to Shafiur Rahman Farabi, who is serving a life sentence for his role in the 2015 murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy. The order came from a bench of Justice Zakir Hossain and Justice K M Rasheduzzaman Raja following a hearing on Farabi’s appeal against the 2021 trial verdict.
Defense counsel SM Shahjahan, assisted by Muhammad Hujjatul Islam Khan, argued that four co-accused gave confessional statements but none named Farabi, and that—aside from the investigating officer—no witness linked him to the killing. The court granted bail pending issuance of the written order, which will specify its duration.
Farabi has been in custody since March 2015, when he was arrested as a key suspect amid investigations into threats against secular writers.
In February 2021, Dhaka’s Anti-Terrorism Tribunal sentenced five members of the banned group Ansar-al-Islam to death and handed Farabi a life term in the Avijit Roy case; the convictions remain under appeal.
“The High Court accepted Farabi’s appeal in 2021 and has now granted him interim bail; the duration will be known once the written order is received,” said lawyer Muhammad Hujjatul Islam Khan.
The prosecution and victims’ family had not announced immediate next steps as of press time; appellate proceedings continue in the High Court.
Source:
“HC grants bail to Farabi in blogger Avijit Roy murder case” — The Business Standard (July 31, 2025). The Business Standard
“Blogger Avijit murder: Life-term convict Farabi granted bail” — Dhaka Tribune (July 31, 2025). Dhaka Tribune
