The family members of the victim, who was the proprietor of Tarin Traders of Nawabganj, rejected the verdict. They are now worried about their security in the locality as the accused threatened the family members soon after the judgment.

They said they would appeal to the higher court against the verdict.

Judge AR Masud of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 pronounced the verdict in presence of five accused -- Raihanur Rahman Palash, Faruque, Mintu, Fazar Ali and Jony.

The other accused, Humayun Kabir, went into hiding after being released on bail.

Earlier, the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments and the court recorded statements of 15 prosecution witnesses.

According to the prosecution, a group of miscreants led by Raihanur Rahman Palash, hit the victim with hammer and left him in an unconscious state beside the Shibbari canal adjacent to Nawabganj College sometime between 6:00pm and 6:30pm on January 11 last year as he protested the teasing of his daughter. He died after he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The victim's wife Momena Mosharaf filed a murder case against Palash and four others the next day. The investigation officer pressed charges against them along with another person on July 6 the same year.

Victim's 60-year-old mother Habiba Khatun, wife Momena Anwar and three daughters expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict.

They told reporters that they now feel insecure as all the accused were acquitted.

Special Public Prosecutor Aminul Islam told The Daily Star that he was unhappy over the judgment. He will go through the verdict and decide whether the appeal will be filed, he said.