4 to die for killing student

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 gave the verdict at a crowded courtroom.

The death convicts are Mohammad Anwar, Mohammad Razu, Mohammad Jamal and Hashem Miah alias Dulal, while Maksud alias Biri will serve life term behind bars.

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The judge also fined the death convicts Tk 50,000 each and Biri Tk 20,000. The death convicts would spend another year more in prison if they failed to pay the fines.

Of the convicts, Anwar and Maksud were present in the dock, while Razu, Jamal and Biri were tried in absentia.

The tribunal also acquitted accused Gobinda and Manir alias Chhitka Manir, as the allegations brought against them were not proved.

The convicts for death sentence can appeal to the High Court in 30 days and the punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the date of their surrender or arrest, the judgement said.

Earlier, the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments and the tribunal recorded statements of 12 prosecution witnesses. The trial was completed in 44 working days.

On August 21, 2002, local miscreants chopped Shimul to death and dumped his body on the rooftop of a house at Mugdapara. Shyampur police recovered his body the following day.

The victim's father Mohammad Abdur Rahim filed a murder case against nine persons. The IO (investigation officer) of the case pressed charges against seven accused on January 10 and the court framed charges against the accused on December 6 last year.

Zakir Hossain, the victim's elder brother, was also shot dead by miscreants in 2000. The case is now under trial with the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court.