5 JMB men handed 12 years’ imprisonment

A special tribunal in Dhaka yesterday sentenced five JMB members to 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment in connection with a blast in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area as part of the series bomb blast in 63 districts of the country on August 17, 2005.

Judge Md Al Mamun of Special Tribunal-2 of Dhaka handed down the sentence in presence of three convicts -- Abdullah Al Sohail, Abdur Rahman Masud, Nurul Islam alias Uzzal.

Two other convicts -- Habibur Rahman Habib and Md Musa alias Mostafizur Rahman -- are absconding.

The tribunal also fined them Tk 30,000 each, in default of which they will have to serve six more months in jail.

The tribunal ordered that the punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender.

The banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) on August 17, 2005 simultaneously blasted bombs in 63 districts of the country.

Around 500 bombs went off at 300 locations in the 63 districts. The bombs exploded within half an hour. JMB claimed responsibility for the blasts.

The blast in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area took place near an over-bridge in front of Rajuk Market around 11am that day. A case was filed after the blast the same day in this connection.

The charge sheet of the case was submitted on November 20, 2005. The tribunal framed charges against the accused on June 12 of 2006.

After cross-examining 19 prosecution witnesses, the tribunal handed down the sentence.