NAOGAON, Sept 11: A court in the district on Monday sentenced 26 individuals to life-term imprisonment for killing a man over land dispute in 1998.
Naogaon Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Mohammad Mokhlesur Rahman handed down the verdict in the afternoon.
The court also fined the convicts Tk 20,000 each, and in default, they will have to suffer two more months of rigorous imprisonment.
The condemned convicts are: Manchur Ali, Altab Hossain Mondal, Enamul Haque, Delwar Hossain, Fajer Ali, Fazlur Rahman, Kader Ali, Jobed Ali, Kazemuddin, Ahidul Islam (Rohidul), Achib Uddin, Anichar Rahman, Mokhleshur Rahman, Kashem Ali Mondal, Liaqat Ali Pramanik, Mokhleshur Rahman, Jalal, Mozaffar Ali, Shahjahan, Chaidur Rahman, Paikya (Bulu), Azad Ali Mrdha, Ashraful Mrdha, Kalimuddin Mondal, Patal alias Parash Ulya Pramanik and Gul Masud alias Kalu.
According to the case statement, the deceased Azim Uddin, 55, was attacked with sticks and a sickle by the accused in Bharatta Shibnagar Village under Manda Upazila of the district on December 2 in 1998 over a land dispute. He died on the spot.
Later on, Azim Uddin's son Amjad Hossain filed a murder case with Manda Police Station on the same day.
After investigation, police submitted the charge-sheet to the court against 34 individuals, of whom eight have since died.
Following a lengthy trial and witness testimonies, the court found 26 accused guilty. Four of the convicts including Mokhlesur Rahman, Enamul Haque, Anisur Rahman, and Mozahar, remain at large.
