A court in Jamalpur has sentenced two men to death and three others, including brothers, to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of a farmer in Dewanganj upazila.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday afternoon by Judge Mohammad Nizam Uddin, Additional District and Sessions Judge-1 of Jamalpur, in a case dating back nearly two decades.
The convicts include Motaleb Hossain, son of the late Azizur Rahman, and Rashid Jamal, son of the late Ayen Uddin, both of whom were handed the death penalty. Three other brothers from the same family—Abdul Latif, Suruj Mia, and Abdul Hamed—were sentenced to life imprisonment. Rashid Jamal, one of the death-row convicts, is their brother. All of the accused hail from Sabujpur village in Dewanganj upazila.
According to court documents and case records, the victim, farmer Akhtar Hossain (45), had been engaged in a longstanding dispute with the accused over a piece of land in Sabujpur village. The conflict escalated fatally on the night of 22 May 2007, when the accused allegedly called Akhtar Hossain out of his home to a nearby field around 8:30 pm.
Once there, the attackers reportedly stabbed him in the abdomen with a knife, leaving him critically injured. Locals later rescued him and rushed him to Dewanganj Upazila Health Complex, where attending doctors declared him dead.
Following the incident, the victim’s son, Saiful Islam, filed a murder case at Dewanganj Police Station, naming four individuals and including three to four unidentified persons as suspects.
Public prosecutor Didarul Islam confirmed that among the convicted, Motaleb Hossain remains absconding, while the remaining accused were present in court during the delivery of the verdict.
Convicted Individuals and Sentences
| Name | Family Relation / Background | Sentence | Status at Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motaleb Hossain | Son of Azizur Rahman | Death penalty | Absconding |
| Rashid Jamal | Son of Ayen Uddin | Death penalty | Present in court |
| Abdul Latif | Brother of Rashid Jamal | Life imprisonment | Present in court |
| Suruj Mia | Brother of Rashid Jamal | Life imprisonment | Present in court |
| Abdul Hamed | Brother of Rashid Jamal | Life imprisonment | Present in court |
The court’s ruling brings a conclusion to a prolonged legal battle stemming from a violent land dispute that shocked the local community. Authorities have stated that further legal procedures will follow, including the possibility of appeals by the convicted individuals.