The court also fined the convicts Tk 2,000 each, in default, to suffer another three months of imprisonment.

The lifers are Haji Abdur Rashid, Idris Miah, Royab Ullah, Surat Ali, Moshrab Ullah, Thanda Miah, Lal Miah, Jahid Miah, Kuti Miah and Hira Miah. All of them hail from Abdanarayan village in Bahubal upazila.

All but Kuti Miah and Hira Miah were on the dock when Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Shafiullah delivered the verdict.

According to the prosecution, the convicts attacked Shamsuddin with sharp weapons at Abdanarayan village on May 23 in 1994, leaving him dead.

M Tota Miah of the village filed a case with Bahubal thana in this connection. Police after long investigation submitted charge sheet against them.

After examining the records and witnesses, the Judge pronounced the verdict in a packed courtroom.