Former assistant sub-inspector Moinul Hoque and ex-constable Abdus Sattar were hanged on the same gallows at a time under tight security.

Senior Jail Superintendent Azizul Hoque told waiting journalists that their execution had been carried out and that they would officially declare Moinul and Sattar dead after autopsy.

The authorities will hand over the bodies to relatives after sunrise. Sattar's brother Abdul Hamid will receive his body while Moinul's brother Abdul Aziz will take his body.

Death sentence of the other convict, Omrito Lal, could not be executed today as a presidential decision on the mercy petition filed by his father lately is yet to be given. Omrito was unwilling to beg mercy, sources said.

Yasmeen was raped and killed at Dosh Mail Road in Dinajpur on the night of August 24, 1995 while she was on her way back home at Gopalbag in Dinajpur town from Dhaka.

Convict with life sentence Rafiqul Islam from Jessore jail acted as the hangman, while two other convicts in Rangpur Central Jail carrying life term assisted him in the execution.

Azizul along with some of his colleagues went to the condemned cell of Moinul and Sattar at 10:00pm and told them about the warrant for execution. He also asked them if they had any 'ochhiot' (message) for anyone.

"Both of them remained dumbfounded for a few minutes. Later, they bathed and repented for the wrongs they had done in their life," said a jail policeman who was present there.

Imam of the jail mosque Kazi Saleh Uddin administered their touba (confession) and recital of 'kolema'. They also said two rakats of nafal (special) prayers.

Sattar hailed from Chandokhola under Domar upazila in Nilphamari district and Moinul from Bicchhramgachha in Polashbari upazila of Gaibandha district while Omrito Lal hails from Rajpur in Sadar upazila of Lalmonirhat.

Dinajpur Kotwali police tried to divert the course of investigation into the sensational rape and murder in a bid to protect fellow policemen, sparking public agitation across the district. People brought out massive processions, held rallies and besieged the police station on August 26 and 27. Police fire on the demonstrators killing seven of them in a bid to quell the demonstration.

Police, however, recorded a case against the perpetrators of the crime.

In 1997, Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression, Rangpur, convicted Moinul, Sattar and Omrito Lal and sentenced them to death by hanging. Later, they appealed to the High Court and then to the Supreme Court. Both courts upheld the special tribunal's verdict.

Sattar and Moinul later sought mercy from the president but he turned them down.