Benapole: A Jessore court on Thursday convicted five people, including a local BNP leader, and sentenced them to life term imprisonment for killing a man in Jhikargachha upazila of Jessore in 1997.

The convicts are-Amir Hossain, BNP president of Nirbashankhola union, Tarikul Islam, Sadek, son of Karim Box Morol of Balla village, Shamsul, son of Ali Majhi og Monirampur upazila and Ismail Hossain, son of Iman Ali of Rudropur village in Sadar upazila.

The court also fined them TK 20,000 each, they will have to suffer 2 years more rigorous imprisonment if they fail to pay the fine.

According to prosecution, Sirajul Islam, a resident of Sadipur village, was stabbed and shot dead by the convicts during an arbitration at the village on January 12 in 1997. 

Later, victim’s brother Jahidul Islam filed a murder case with Jhikargachha police station against 7 named people and 7/8 unnamed people.

Sub-Inspector Aslam Khan, also investigation officer of the case, submitted chargesheet against 15 people.

After examining all the records and witnesses, Nitai Chandra Saha, judge of District Special Judge court, handed down the verdict acquitting eight accused.