The convicts are Kamrul Hassan Himu, former chairman of Agorpur Union Parishad in Babuganj; expatriate Iqbal Ahmed;

four brothers Mustafa Dewari, Yunus Dewari, Yusuf Dewari and Amir Hossain Dewari; Md. Delwar Hossain Nantu, Kalam Dalal, Babul Mistri and Babul Sardar.

Bulbul, Delwar, Babul Mistri and Babul Sardar are in custody and the rest six are absconding.

All the 10 convicts were also fined Tk 10,000, in default to serve prison term for one year more.

Judge M A Matin of Barisal Speedy Trial Tribunal (STT) handed down the punishment at a crowded courtroom yesterday morning.

Twenty-seven witnesses were examined during the trial, court sources said.

According to the prosecution story, the ten people blasted bombs and attacked an election campaign procession brought out in favor of Khalid Hossain Swapan, Agorpur Union Parishad chairman candidate in Babuganj upazila on February 16, 2003.

They abducted Majibur Rahman, 31, and Babu, 35, two supporter of Swapan.

Beheaded body of Majibor was found three days after the abduction. The boy of Babu was not found.

After the incident, Babuganj thana Sub-inspector Samir Sarkar lodged a case on February 19, 2003 without mentioning the name of any accused.

Sub-inspector Nur Alam submitted charge sheet against the 10 accused on August 39 last year.