A court on Sunday sentenced 14 people including a Union Council Chairman for life term for killing a local Awami League leader, his wife and one of his followers at Daibaggahati union under Morelgang Upazila in Bagerhat in 2018.
The court also fined Taka 5,000 each, in default, they will have to suffer another one year of imprisonment.
The court also acquitted 44 people as the charge against them could not be proved.
The Judge of Khulna Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Md Nazrul Islam Howlader handed down the verdict in presence of 50 chargesheeted accused of the case.
The 14 accused people who were convicted are- Shahidul Islam, suspended Daibaggahati UP chairman Abual Fakir, Humayun Howlader, Milton Khan, Mofiz Khan, Faruk, Abul Hossain Sheikh, Modasser Sheikh, Sunil Das, Biswanath alias Biswa Pramanik, Liyon Shikder, Subrata Kumar Saha alias Paltu (absconding), Mehedi alias Rubel Fakir and Mohi Molla.
Court sources said, there was a long-standing feud between the suspended UP chairman Shahidul Islam Fakir and Ansar Ali Dihidar, general secretary of Daibaggahati Union AL, over establishing supremacy in the party politics as well as in union.
Following the internal conflict, a gang of youths led by Shahidul Fakir, equipped with arms, ammunition, and lethal weapons swooped on local Jubo League leader Shukur Sheikh, also a follower of Ansar Ali, at Selimabad Degree College ground.
The armed men gunned down Shukur and dumped his body in the hall room of the Union council office on October 1, 2018.
They later attacked Ansar Ali’s residence and hacked him and his wife Monju Begum indiscriminately and dumped their bloodstained bodies in the same place.
Local people later recovered them and rushed to the local health complex where the on-duty doctor declared Ansar and Shukur dead.
Ansar’s wife Monju Begum was shifted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University (BSMMU) where she succumbs to her injuries on July 30 in 2020, 22 months after her admission.
Sheikh Faruk Hossain, brother of deceased Shukur, filed a murder case on October 4 in 2018, with Morelganj Police Station. Later, Police and Ansar’s relative filed another two cases with the same Police Station in these connections.
On June 4 in 2019, Police pressed a chargesheet against 58 people including the convicted 14 to Bagerhat court.
