Four to die, one gets life, 9 others 10 yrs

A tribunal here yesterday sentenced four people to death, one person to life imprisonment and nine others to 10 years' imprisonment for killing two siblings in Rajoir upazila under Madaripur district in 2003.

The death penalty awardees are Muhiuddin Hawlader, Sohagh Hawlader, Habi Hawlader and Halim Hawlader. The first three were tried in absentia.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

The lifer is Shamsul Haque Hawlader. The court also fined him Tk 50,000, in default, to suffer one year more in prison.

Those who got 10 years in prison are Hiru Sarder, Rafique Hawlader, Kaiyum Shikder, Jahangir Shikder, Tutul Hawlader, Mostafa Hawlader, Zinnat Khan, Idris Sheikh and Sekandar Sheikh. The court also fined them Tk 30,000 each, in default, to serve six months' more imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, the convicts opened fire on the supporters of Sirajul Haque Mollah, chairman candidate in the local union parishad election, after the Eid-ul-Azha prayers at Paschim Sharmangal village in Rajoir upazila under Madaripur district, on February 12 in 2003, which left Syed Ali Mollah and Soleman Mollah dead and 34 others injured.

A case was filed with the Rajoir Police Station in this connection.

Police submitted charge sheet against 28 people on 30 August in 2003.

The trial started on October 11, 2005.

After examining the records and statements of 28 witnesses, judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Shahed-Nur-Uddin handed down the verdict.

The judge acquitted 14 of the accused as charges brought against them could not be proved.

Our Mymensingh Correspondent adds: A mobile court awarded three months' imprisonment to a stalker at Teluari village in Ishwarganj upazila under the district yesterday.

The convict is Kajal Islam, 18, son of Abdul Barek of Sreefholata in Ishwarganj.

"Kajal used to tease a girl of a local high school for long. As Kajal did the same with the girl on Wednesday, the girl cried for help. Locals rushed to the spot and caught Kajal red-handed," Md Borhan Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Ishwarganj Police Station, quoted locals as saying.

Later they handed over Kajal to police after giving him a good beating in the evening.

Kajal was produced before a mobile court led by Rajib Kumar Sarker, upazila nirbahi officer and executive magistrate, at his office around 11:00am yesterday.

The court sentenced him to three months' imprisonment and he was sent to jail, the OC said.