Dhaka: The death reference of the Zakia Sultana Rupa murder case reached the High Court (HC) on Sunday.

‘All files and documents of the case reached the High Court from Tangail District Court today (Sunday)’, said Mohammad Saifur Rahman, a special officer of the Supreme Court.

The High Court’s permission is required before the execution of the convicts.

Rupa, 27, was murdered after gang rape in a running bus while returning to Mymensingh from Bogra on August 25 last year.

On February 12, Tangail Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Abul Hossain Miah sentenced four people to death and another person to seven years’ imprisonment for killing law student Zakia Sultana Rupa after gang rape in a running bus on August 25 last year.

The condemned convicts are bus driver Habib Miah, 45, son of Shahidul Islam of Mirzapur village in Mymensingh Sadar upazila, and bus helpers Shamim Miah, 26,son of Khorshed Alam of Nandibari village of Mymensingh’s Muktagachha upazila, Akram, 35, son of late Kamal Hossain of the village, and Jahangir Alam, 19, son of Emadadul Haque of the Mirzapur village.

Bus supervisor Safar Ali alias Gendu, 55, son of Sultan Ali of the Mirzapur village, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment and fined Tk 1 lakh.

The convicts can also file an appeal against the verdict of the trial court.