Three including two Kishoreganj brothers to die for murder

A Kishoreganj court yesterday sentenced three persons to death and seven others, including three women, to life imprisonment for killing a youth over land dispute in 2005.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Md Abdur Rahim handed down the verdict for killing Ershadul Islam Chayan, 28, son of Johirul Islam Ratan, at his village home in Taan Sidla of Hossainpur upazila in Kishoreganj on December 2 in 2005, said Taufiqul Islam, court inspector of Kishoreganj.

Out of the three given death sentences, two are brothers -- Abdul Awal, 44, and Al Amin, 40, sons of late Abdul Bari Fakir from Taan Sidla village. The third one is Abdul Karim, 54, son of Mofiz Uddin from the same village.  

The seven who were given life sentences are Abdul Kadir, 54, Sufol, 36, Mafia Khatun, 47, Sohel, 38, Ripa Akter, 36, Johura Akter, 49, and Abdur Rouf, 55. 

Each convict was also fined Tk five lakh. Abdul Awal, Sufol and Sohel were tried in absentia.

According to the case statement, there had been a longstanding dispute between Ershadul’s father Johirul and his neighbour Abdul Kadir over a piece of land.

In the afternoon of December 2, Abdul Kadir’s men wielding sharp weapons intruded into Johirul’s house and attacked his wife Momena Khatun Shanti and their daughter Jahanara Begum in the kitchen.

When Ershadul responded to his mother and sister’s cry for help, he also came under attack and sustained critical injuries.   

He was pronounced dead after taken to Hossainpur Upazila Health Complex.

On December 7, Ershadul’s father Johirul filed the case with Hossainpur Police Station, accusing nine people. Police pressed charge sheet against 11 persons the same year. Of the accused, Aminul Haque Hira died before the trial ended.