Three to die, four get life

The convicts with death sentence are Workers' Party leader and freedom fighter Ali Khwaja M Abdul Mazid and his nephews Paltu and Shukur Ali. Four other convicts are Nawshad, Zaidul Islam, Asadul and Abdur Razzak Sarkar alias Art Babu.

Ali Khwaja and his nephews, who were on the dock, instantly protested the judgement.

Tribunal Judge AFM Aminul Islam, however, acquitted eight other accused in the case.

According to the prosecution, masked assailants killed BNP leader Abdul Hamid Moru at Ghospara in the city on November 9 in 2003. They slaughtered him and left the scene chanting slogans in favour of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP).

Police pressed charges against 16 people in the case on July 19 in 2004.

Public Prosecutor Ketab Uddin appeared for the state while Sayed Ekramur Rasul, Mansur Rahman and Entajul Haque Babu defended the accused.

Rejecting the verdict, the lawyers for the accused said that implicating Ali Khwaja in the case was politically motivated.

Khawaja was the main political opponent of Moru Hamid and so he was victimised, they said.

Ali Khwaja is also the chairman of Jhikra union in Bagmara upazila and vice-president of the district unit of Jatiya Krishak Samity.