A Dhaka court sentenced five people to death yesterday with four of them being in absentia in connection with a 2006 murder at Nowkhanda village in Gopalganj’s Maksedpur.
Speedy Trial Tribunal 3’s Judge A B M Sajedur Rahman delivered the verdict in a crowded courtroom.
The death row convicts are Lalin Shikder, Monir Hossain, Swapan Mollah alias Dalim, Obaidul Sheikh alias Ewadul Sheikh and Tapan Kazi alias Bagha. Of them, only Obaidul is now behind bars.
Six others were also acquitted as the charges brought against them could not be proved in the murder case. They are Md Mokarram Sikder, Md Rezaul Kazi, Sheikh Rony Ahmed, Wahedul Mina, Md Farid Mina and Ahsan Kazi.
The case was such, Lalin Shikder was friends with Shipon Kazi alias Junun and they had a business together. Later, a love relationshop developed between Lalin’s sister and Junun.
Lanin having learned for this asked Junun to marry his sister, but Junun refused sparking a conflict between them. He, along with the other accused, then premeditated and perpetrated the murder in the village on June 30, 2006.
Junun’s mother Moriam Bibi then filed a murder case with Maksedpur police station. After investigating the case, Detective Branch of police submitted a charge sheet before a Gopalganj court against the 11 accused on July 17, 2007.
The court framed charges against the accused in the case on February 17, 2010. Later in December 2012, it shifted the case to Speedy Trial Tribunal 3 in Dhaka for quick disposal.
A total of 14 prosecution witnesses gave depositions before the court in the case.
