The convicts with death are Majibur Rahman and Mohammad Khokan while Hasen Ali, Mohammad Ali, Babul and Quamrul Islam were given life in jail.

All the convicts were tried in absentia.

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 gave the verdict at a jam-packed courtroom.

The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the date of their arrest or surrender and the convicts with death can appeal to the High Court against the verdict in 30 days, the judgement said.

The court also acquitted four others- Kalam, Motaleb, Kalachand and Rustom Ali-as charges brought against them were not proved.

Earlier, the prosecution and defence completed their arguments and the court recorded statements of 24 prosecution witnesses.

In the case filed with Purbadhala Police Station, it has been alleged that the accused kidnapped Noor Mohammad, a Jibon Bima official from his village home at Dashashi under Purbadhala upazila in Netrakona district at about 4:00pm on January 26 in 1998 for a ransom of TK one lakh. The accused killed Noor and dumped his body to a nearby river as his family refused to pay the ransom.

Later, police recovered the body and a murder case was filed against the accused on March 12 the same year. The investigation officer pressed charges against Majibur and nine others on November 11 in 2001.