Additional District and Sessions Judge of Khulna, Kabita Khanam, in her judgement sentenced them to suffer 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) each, for making bombs.

Rubel alias Mamun, Abul Bashar, Faruque Ahmed and Farhadul Islam Tuhin were convicted under Section 3 and Section 4 of Explosive Substances Act.

Each of them was fined Tk 5,000, in default, to suffer one year more RI.

Five charge-sheeted Ansars, Noor Mohammad, Rajab Ali, Ashiqur Rahman, Humayun Kabir and Matiar Rahman Shikder, were acquitted of charges.

The prosecution story in brief is that the convicts were severely injured in explosion of bombs they were making in Room No 145 of Hotel Rupsha International in the city on December 24, 2003.

The Ansars on-duty allegedly helped them escape from there. But the four were later arrested by police with help of local people. The Ansars were also arrested.

Police recovered a large number of bomb-making materials and booklets on Islamic militancy from the hotel room.

SI Mohammodullah lodged FIR with Khalishpur Police Station on December 25, 2003 as complainant accusing nine persons including five Ansars.

SI Masud Pervez of the same police station submitted charge-sheet to court against all the nine FIR-named accused on March 8, 2004.

Statements of 12 out of 18 prosecution witnesses were recorded during trial of the case.

The convicts are cadres of Harkatul-Jihad, according to sub-inspector (SI) Mohammadullah who was the first investigation officer (IO) of the case.