JCD leader Abdullahel Baqui alias Idul was also jailed for 20 years in an arms case on March 17, though he was named Shahidul Islam Idul in that case.

The Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 and the Speedy Trial Tribunal, Rajshahi also handed down death sentences on 11 others in two separate cases yesterday.

Judge Mohammad Firoz Alam of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 convicted Idul, Ariful Islam Shimul and Mamunur Rashid Mamun for killing decoration trader Rabiullah Khokon in Gopibagh on April 23, 1999.

Idul was present in the court during the delivery of the judgement, but his accomplices were tried in absentia.

The court acquitted two accused -- Amir Hossain alias Tota and Jabed alias Jaba -- as the charges brought against them were not proved.

The convicts can appeal to the High Court (HC) against the verdict in 30 days from the day of receipt of the judgement copy. Punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender, the judge said.

Idul and his men killed the trader over a previous enmity when the victim was returning home after saying Juma prayers at about 12:45pm.

The victim's father Chand Miah, wife Parvin Akhter and daughters -- Sony and Anamika -- at the court expressed satisfaction over the verdict.

Idul used to run a gang with the support allegedly of a leader of Dhaka University unit JCD, student wing of ruling BNP. The gang gunned down two policemen and hurt a few others during a robbery at a currency exchange shop in Motijheel on June 20 last year.

Police arrested bullet-hit Idul and seized from him Tk 20,000, a sophisticated CZ pistol, two magazines and 30 bullets the same day.

He is accused of over 14 charges including four murders.

In another case, Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced a woman and three others to death for killing her husband.

The convicts are Lutfunnahar Baby, her fiancé Mamun Patwary alias Mamun, Mozammel Haq and Kuddus. Except for Kuddus, the convicts were tried in absentia.

After developing an illicit affair, Baby and Mamun hired two goons to kill her husband Mizan.

They killed him in Kafrul, cut his body into three pieces and dumped those in front of a house in Shewrapara on November 14, 2003.

Police arrested Baby and Mamun, who gave confessional statements before a magistrate. But they became fugitives after obtaining bail from the HC.

RAJSHAHI
Our staff correspondent from Rajshahi adds: Rajshahi divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced seven cadres of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) to death in the Bachchu murder case of Kushtia.

Tribunal Judge AFM Aminul Islam acquitted nine others accused of the killing.

The case was shifted to Rajshahi from the tribunal in Khulna following anonymous death threats to the judge concerned.

The convicts are Niaz Murshid Pannu, Kabil, Hoor Babu, Shafikul Islam, Rabiul Islam, Shahjahan and Pikchar.

Shahjahan is now behind bars, while the others have jumped bail.

Nurul Islam Bachchu, a businessman, was shot and slaughtered on October 2, 2001 when he was returning home.

His journalist brother, Harun-ur Rashid, filed a case accusing 16 PBCP cadres of killing Bachchu to take revenge on his writing against drug peddling and crimes.