Ctg UP Chairman Murder in 1999: 10 to walk gallows, 5 get life-term sentence

Twenty years after submitting the charge sheet, a court in Chattogram yesterday sentenced 10 persons to death and five to life term imprisonment in connection with the murder of Union Parishad Chairman Amjad Hossain in 1999.

Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge AKM Mozammel Haque gave the verdict after the court found the accused guilty beyond doubt -- examining all the witnesses and evidence, said complainant's lawyer Advocate SUM Nurul Islam.

The court also fined the five life-term convicts Tk 50,000 each.

The death row convicts are Nezam Uddin, Jahed, Abu Md Rashed ,  Manik, Zullur Rahman, Md Rafiq, Faruk Ahmed, Jasim Uddin, Bashir Ahmed  and Tarek while the life-term convicts are Md Idris, Harun, Md Ayub,  Morshed Alam, and Idris.

Apart from that, four others -- Taher, Shayeb, Mostak Ahmed and Abdul  Malek -- were acquitted from the charges.

Advocate Nurul said among the 20 accused, one died a few years back and nine are on the run.

Amjad Hossain, an Awami League leader and chairman of Ward-17 of Sonakania union in Satkania upazila, was shot dead by criminals in front of a tea stall at Mirzakhil Banglabazar under the upazila while a local religious event was taking place on October 4, 1999, according to the case statement.

His wife filed the murder case accusing 20 persons with Satkania Police Station.

Later, CID submitted a charge sheet implicating 20 persons before a court in Chattogram in 2000. The court framed the charges on October 25, 2004.

Following the verdict, Amjad's nephew advocate Abdul Alam said, "We are pleased to get the verdict after a long time. The accused were trying to prolong the trial but we finally got justice."