A Khulna court yesterday sentenced three JMB members to life imprisonment for blasting bombs at two places in Kushtia on August 17, 2005
Khulna Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Abdus Salam Shikder also fined them Tk 20,000 each, in default of which they have to suffer three years more of rigorous imprisonment (RI).
The convicts are Hafez Mahmud, Shamsul Alam and Akbar Ali.
Five other accused in the case were acquitted as their involvement in the blasts were not proved. They are Habibur Rahman, Lutfor Rahman, Siddiqur Rahman, Nizamul Islam and Mashiur Rahman.
The names of three other accused -- top JMB leader Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai, Shaikh Abdur Rahman, and Ataur Rahman Sani -- were dropped from the charge sheet as they were executed for killing two Jhalakathi judges in a bomb attack.
Four bombs went off at Chouhash intersection near Mamtaz market and the court compound in Kushtia on August 17, 2005.
Later, Rab official Mustafizur Rahman filed an FIR with Kushtia Police Station on August 18, 2005.
ASP Munshi Atiqur Rahman, investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the court on October 10, 2005.
The court recorded statements of 19 out of 43 prosecution witnesses during the trial.