The court acquitted 10 others as the charges brought against them were not proved while one died during the trial.

The convicts with death are Kazi Mobarak Hossain,Mohammad Osman, Moinuddin alias Battaiya, Imam Uddin alias Mujib and Mohammad Lokman while Mohammad Baktiar alias Nonaiya, former local UP chairman Abul Kalam Chowdhury, Mohammad Belal, Jamal Uddin alias Karate Jamal, Mohammad Shahjahan, Shah Alam, Mohammad Doulat Uddin alias Rasel and Abu Rashed were given life in jail.

Those who got life term were also fined Tk 50,000 each, in default, to suffer two years more in jail.

Of the convicts, Kazi Mobarak Hossain, Mohammad Baktiar, Abul Kalam Chowdhury, Mohammad Belal and Jamal Uddin were present in the court during the delivery of the judgement while the rest were on the run.

Judge M Hasan Imam of the Speedy Trial Tribunal pronounced the verdict at a jam-packed courtroom.

Three brothers Abul Kasem, Abul Bashar and Badsha Alam were shot and chopped to death by an armed gang following a land dispute at Charia union of Hathazari upazila on May 26 last year.

Security was tightened during the judgement around the court at Jubilee road in the port city.

The investigation officer of the case Sub-Inspector Shahjahan Mia pressed charges against 22 people on October 30,2003.

Public prosecutor Kamrul Islam Chowdhury appeared for the state while Advocate Ahsanul Huq defended the accused.