11 people including UP Chairman get life for Bogra murder

Sanju Roy, Bogra: A century and a half after the killing of a man named Shahjahan Ali for being a rival supporter in the Union Parishad elections in Bogra, the court has ordered life imprisonment to 11 people, including Sadar's Shekerkola Union Parishad Chairman Rashidul Islam Mridha. Judge Habiba Mandal of Bogra Additional Sessions Judge Court announced this verdict at around 12 noon on Monday. 8 people including Rashidul Islam, the main accused in the case, were present in the court while passing the order. The convicts present in the court are Shekerkola UP chairman and BNP leader of Bogra Sadar Rashidul Islam Mridha, Sabuj Akand, Ujjal Akand, Abdul Mannan, Pilu Khandkar, Mokhleshar Rahman Mukul, Abdul Hamid Khoka Akand and Zahedur Rahman. Apart from this, three accused who got life sentence are absconding. They are Biplab Mia, Russell Mia, Jewel Pramanik. All the accused are residents of the southern area of ​​Shekerkola in Sadar. According to the verdict, 11 people were sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 taka for the murder of Shahjahan Ali. And the term of sentence will be counted from the day of arrest of absconding persons. This information was confirmed by the lawyer of the state side APP Nachimul Karim Holi. According to the documents of the case, he said that on February 9, 2003, polls were held in Shekerkola UP. Abdus Sattar Kha and Rashidul Islam Mridha contested for the post of chairman. Shahjahan Ali worked as a supporter of Abdus Sattar in that election. After winning the election, on 11th February Rashidul Islam along with his party members paid a courtesy call to the locals. Shahjahan Ali met Rashidul in the village of Dakshinbhag while returning home that evening. At that time, Rashidul's people attacked Shahjahan by accusing him of not voting for him in the election. Naschimul Karim also said that Shah Jahan was hit on the head and hand with a rod in the attack. Shahjahan Ali died in the early morning of February 13 at Mohammad Ali Hospital in Bogra while undergoing treatment. Later that day, Mahmudur Rahman, the deceased's brother, filed a murder case at the Sadar police station, accusing 11 people. After 19 years of trial in that case, the verdict was delivered on Monday. This lawyer said that the accused in the case were on bail. They used to attend regularly, following which eight of the convicts attended the court on Monday. Three others are absconding. The police have taken the convicted accused to jail.