Dr Aftab was the assistant director of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

The tribunal passed the sentence on convicts Sujan Mian, 28, son of Badal Miah alias Sadaruddin, and Jasim Uddin of village Raigarh under Golapganj Upazila but acquitted four other accused.

Of the convicts, Jasim has been tried in absentia. He went into hiding after the murder.

Judge Shah-e-Alam Chowdhury pronounced the verdict in a jam-packed courtroom.

According to the prosecution, the assailants called out Dr Aftab Hossain of his private chamber at Dhakadakshin Bazaar, Golapganj, on the night of September 14, 2002 and asked him to go with them to see an elderly patient.

But they took him to a place at village Ghoshgaon in his motorcycle and stabbed and shot him, leaving him dead on the spot.

They also took away his motorcycle, mobile phone and money.

His body was found the next morning.

The killing of Dr Aftab was a sequel to a feud with a local gang of extortionists.

The gruesome murder sparked widespread protests in Golapganj upazila and in the divisional headquarters.

People and different professional groups, including Bangladesh Medical Association, observed hartal and work abstention programmes in the district demanding punishment to the killers.

Zakir Hossain, son of Dr Aftab, expressed satisfaction over the judgement yesterday. He, however, said it would have been better if all the accused had been punished.

Dr Nurunnahar, wife of Dr Aftab, could not see the end of the trial. She died at a private clinic on April 29. Dr Nurunnahar, dean of the school of medical science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, was the head of department of microbiology at Osmani Medical College.