8 get life for killing schoolboy

The convicts are Bashir Uddin, Suman son of Abdur Rahman, Suman son of Sirajul Islam, Abdul Jalil, Abdul Hannan, Ruhul Amin, Mohammad Liton and Manu.

Of the convicts, Abdul Jalil was present in the court during the delivery of the judgement while seven others were tried in absentia.

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The court, however, acquitted the principal accused Bachchu Sheikh alias City Bachchu of charges.

Judge Abu Hanif of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 gave the verdict at a jam-packed courtroom.

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

In the case filed with Munshiganj Sadar Police Station, the victim's mother Basirunnesa alleged that at about 8:00pm on May 24 in 1997 a gang of miscreants led by City Bachchu called Suman out of his house and took him to a nearby place and stabbed him to death. Then the gang dumped the body under a bridge at Bazrajugini under Munshiganj district.

Police recovered the body on May 27 from the place. Later, a murder case was filed accusing City Bachchu and four others and the police pressed charges against City Bachchu and eight others on June 11 in 1998.

The victim's mother Bashirunnesa expressed her dissatisfaction at the judgement saying that the principal accused was acquitted of charges for non-cooperation of the Special Public Prosecutor (PP). Had the PP conducted the case properly, the main accused could not be acquitted, Bashirunnesa told the Daily Star.

Special PP Nurul Iman Babul appeared for the state while advocates Mahbub Ahmed and Abdul Quaiyum Khan defended the accused.