A Sylhet court on Tuesday (May 6) sentenced three people to death in the sensational murder case of Advocate Shamsul Islam.

Division Special Judge Md Shahadat Hossain Pramanik delivered the verdict in the packed courtroom.

The condemned convicts are Masud alias Masud Ahmed Chowdhury Munna, the younger son of the victim and resident of Mirbox Tola in Sylhet city; Zaher Ali, son of late Abdul Latif from Chandipur village in Doarabazar, Sunamganj; and Ansar Ahmed, son of Suruj Ali from Rawli village in Chhatak, Sunamganj.

The court in addition fined each of them Tk 20,000 and sentenced them to three years’ rigorous imprisonment with an additional Tk 5,000 fine under another section of the penal code.

Another accused, Borhan Uddin, was sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk 5,000 under section 201 of the Penal Code. However, another accused, Ismail Hossain, was acquitted as the charges against him could not be proven.

According to case statement, Advocate Shamsul Islam, former president of Sylhet District Muslim League, was murdered at his home on the night of July 17, 2011, during the holy night of Shab-e-Barat. Later that night, the body was dumped in the Surma River at Lamkaji on the Sylhet-Sunamganj road.

The following day, the victim’s elder son, Mahmud Ahmed Chowdhury, filed a murder case with Kotwali Model Police Station, accusing his brother Masud and four others.

Initially investigated by the then officer-in-charge (investigation) Khairul Fazal of Kotwali Model Police Station, the case was later handed over to RAB-9. On March 13, 2012, SI Idris Ali of RAB-9 submitted a charge sheet against five accused.

During the investigation, accused Borhan Uddin and Ansar Ahmed gave confessional statements under section 164, admitting their involvement.

The court framed charges on May 15, 2015, and after long proceedings, delivered the verdict 14 years after the murder.

MSK/