Dhaka: A Jamalpur court has sentenced seven individuals to death and another seven to life imprisonment for their involvement in the murder of a man and his nephew in Madarganj upazila in 2016.

According to United News of Bangladesh, Jamalpur Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Nazam Uddin delivered the verdict in the high-profile double-murder case. The seven individuals sentenced to death are Sakhawat, 32; Sohel, 30; Al Amin, 30; Saddam, 30; Ujjal, 30; Antar, 20; and Faizur, 32. Meanwhile, the seven receiving life sentences are Chan Mia, 50; Zia, 45; Shah Alam, 40; Kawsar, 31; Rifat, 31; Sumon, 31; and Mostafa, 50.

The court has also imposed a fine of Tk 50,000 on each of the death-row convicts and Tk 20,000 on those sentenced to life imprisonment. The case stems from an incident on May 16, 2016, when Moher Ali, 19, and his nephew Swapon Mia, 16, were taken from their home under the guise of attending a singing event in Gazaria. When they failed to return, their families launched a search and reported their disappearance to the Madarganj Police Station.

Tragically, their bodies were discovered on May 19 in a jute field in Kukurmari village. The victims’ faces were reportedly disfigured with acid to impede identification. Subsequently, Swapon’s father, Jahangir Alam, filed a murder case against 22 individuals. Following an investigation, authorities submitted a charge sheet against the accused.

The verdict was reached after the court assessed testimonies from 18 witnesses.