13 Jamaat men sentenced to life over murder of Natore Jubo League leader in 2013

Thirteen leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami have been sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the 2013 murder of Jubo League leader Khairul Bashar in Natore.

The verdict, announced by Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Md Mahiduzzaman on Tuesday, also includes a fine of Tk20,000 each, with an additional three months of jail term in case of non-payment.

In the same case, 54 other accused were acquitted due to insufficient evidence supporting the charges against them.

Responding to the verdict, Jamaat-e-Islami issued a statement on Tuesday, asserting that the life sentences were the result of a false and conspiratorial case.

Jamaat's acting ameer Mujibur Rahman claimed that the government presented false testimony to seek political revenge.

"We will appeal to the High Court against the verdict," he added.

The life-term convicts, all from Pukurpara Chilan village of Kadamchilan union in Lalpur upazila, are currently on the run. The court has directed the relevant authorities to issue arrest warrants against them, confirmed Public Prosecutor Advocate Entazul Haque Babu to The Business Standard.

The incident leading to the case occurred on 28 February 2013, following the announcement of the death sentence for Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi.

According to the case statement, local Jamaat-Shibir activists attacked the residence of Kadamchilan Union Jubo League Joint General Secretary Khairul Bashar, resulting in his death. The attackers also vandalised and set fire to houses and police vehicles in the area, looting weapons in the process.

The police, acting as the plaintiff, filed a case related to the incident.

After a decade of testimony, the Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal delivered the verdict in the murder case today.