BANGLADESH: EIGHT TO HANG FOR KILLING FARMERS

February 16, 2012: In Bangladesh, a court handed down death sentences to eight people over the much-discussed murder of three farmers at Mymensingh's Dhobaura in 2006.
Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 judge A B M Sazedur Rahman also sentenced one to life imprisonment, one to ten years and two others to two years in prison.
Motahar Hossain Prodip, Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, Omar Ali, Mohammad Rabiqul, Abdur Rahim, 'Bulbul', Ershad Ali and Ashraf Ali are to be hanged.
Ziaul Haque Jewel will have to serve a life-term while Abdur Razzaque has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of Tk 10,000 or another six months in prison on failure to pay the fine.
The court also sentenced Mohammad Hanif and 'Rahima' to two years in prison and Tk 5,000 fines. It let off Hosne Ara, Rokeya Khatun and Al Amin as charges against them were not proved beyond doubt.  
Prodip, Rahim, Razzaque, Jewel, Hanif and Ali were out on bail in the case.
Meanwhile, a High Court stay order on running proceedings against Anisur Rahman Manik did not allow the lower court to sentence him.
Haridas Sutradhar, Niranjan Sutradhar and Bimal Sutradhar were killed and five others injured when they were attacked while planting paddy on a disputed piece of land at Chorer Bhita of Porakandulia union on Jan 22, 2006.
Bimal's brother Shyamal Sutradhar, who filed the case against 16 including local Juba Dal leader Motahar Hossain Prodip, expressed satisfaction over the verdict. (Sources: bdnews24.com, 16/02/2012)