A Dhaka court on Wednesday sentenced 15 people to death and two others to life term imprisonment for killing a cloth trader in Dohar Upazila over land-related dispute, reports UNB.
The condemned convicts are-Siraj, Minhaj, Khalil Karigar, Shajahan Karigar, Didar, Ershad, Kalu, Azhar Karigar, Niaz Uddin, Mozammel Suja, Jalil Karigar, Jalal, Billal, Ibrahim and Abdul Latif while the lifers are- Majeda and Chaina Begum.
Among them, Didar, Ershad, Jalil, Ibrahim, Majeda and Chaina were tried in absentia.
The court also fined them Tk 20,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more jail.
According to the prosecution, there had been long standing dispute over a piece of land between the convicts and the victim's family.
On April 3, 2008, the convicts attacked Nazrul Islam and beat him mercilessly, leaving him critically injured.
They also beat up Nazrul's wife Surjobhan as she tried to rescue her husband.
Injured Nazrul was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Victim's uncle Nazimuddin Ahmed filed a murder case. On July 26, 2008, Sub-inspector Anwar Hossain of Detective Branch of Police submitted chargesheet against 17 people.
After examining all the records and 14 witnesses, Judge Pradip Kumar Roy of the Dhaka Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court-1 handed down the verdict.
