Mohammad Sheikh Jahangir Hussain, judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-2, Dhaka Division gave the verdict at a crowded courtroom.

Mohammad Jahangir alias Galkata Jahangir and Alamgir were awarded death penalty while Mamun, Faruq, Hashem, Lavlu, Selan, Aslam, Salam, Murad, Musa and kashem got life term. The court also fined those who got life term TK 50,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more imprisonment.

Siddiq, Afjal and Shafiuddin were acquitted as the charges brought against them could not be proved.

Of the convicts, Jahangir, Mamun, Hashem and Salam have been absconding since the murder.

The judge took his seat at 1:30pm and read out the highlights of the 34-page verdicts in 25 minutes.

The punishment of the absconders will be effective from the date of their arrest or surrender, the judgement said.

Those who got death penalty can appeal to the High Court against the verdict within 30 days.

The prosecution story in brief is that Badal Sheikh, a fruit trader at the Haji Shariatullah Market under Kotwali thana in Faridpur district, was chopped to death by a gang of miscreants led by Galkata Jahangir following a feud over local politics at about 11:00am on July 4, 2001. Jahangir, a listed criminal, also killed five brothers and two nephews of the victim on different dates for same reasons.

Later, victim,s wife Rehana Akhter Rumi filed a murder case with Kotwali thana accusing Jahangir and 14 others the same day.

The investigation officer of the case pressed charges against Jahangir and 14 others on March 12 last year. The court framed charges against them on October 10 the same year.

The case was transferred to the tribunal on September 17 this year. The trial was completed in 37 working days.

Eighteen prosecution witnesses were examined during the trial.

Victim,s mother Golapjan Begum and wife Rehana Akhter Rumi were present in the court and they expressed their satisfaction at the verdict.

Special Public Prosecutor Mohammad Moinuddin appeared for the state while advocates Syed Mizanur Rahman and Sultan Ahmed Khan defended the accused.

Meanwhile, Syed Mizanur Rahman, the defence counsel, submitted a petition to the court seeking a protection on publishing the news in the newspapers.

After hearing, the court took the petition on record and did not pass any order on the issue.