Rangpur: A court in Rangpur on Wednesday sentenced a drug trader in absentia to life term rigorous imprisonment for trading contraband phensidyl syrup.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Abu Jafar Md Kamruzzaman of the Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-2 of Rangpur announced the verdict.

According to prosecution, acting on a tip off, a special squad of Pirganj police conducted a sudden raid at Angrar Bridge point on the Rangpur-Dhaka highway under Pirganj upazila on 27 June in 2013.

The police team seized 620 bottles of smuggled phensidyl syrup packed in two sacks and arrested drug trader Ariful Islam, son of late Anisar Rahman of village Kashimpur Purbo Para under Pirganj upazila from the spot.

During interrogation, arrested Ariful Islam informed that three more persons Motiar Rahman, Shamsul Islam and Ekramul of the same area were also with him while carrying the contraband phensidyl syrup.

Sub-inspector (SI) Joynal Abedin filed a case against the four arrested persons, including aerated Ariful Islam, with Pirganj police station in this connection.

Later, Pirganj police submitted charge-sheet on 27 July in 2013 before the court against the accused four persons after investigation into the case.

After examining the witnesses and evidences of the case during hearing, the court found Ariful Islam guilty and announced the verdict against him today.

However, the court acquitted the other three accused persons as the charges brought against them were not proved.

Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Akhteruzzaman Polash stood for the state while senior lawyer Advocate Sultan Ahmed Shahin defended the accused side.