Twenty-six years after the crime, a court has sentenced 26 accused to life imprisonment in the Azim Uddin murder case in Manda upazila of Naogaon.

The verdict was delivered on Monday afternoon by Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, the judge of the Additional District and Sessions Judge’s Second Court in Naogaon

The case initially had 34 accused, but eight of them passed away during the trial. During the pronouncement of the verdict, 22 accused were present in court, while four remain absconding.

The case was prosecuted by APP Adv. Shamsur Rahman, while the defense was represented by Adv. Rafiqul Islam. Prosecutor Shamsur Rahman stated that the murder took place in 1998 in Bharatta Shibnagar village of Manda upazila over a land dispute.

According to the case details, on December 2, 1998, Azim Uddin (55) of Bharatta Shibnagar village was attacked by his opponents with sticks, machetes, and other weapons when he went to plough the disputed land, resulting in his death on the spot.

On the same day, the victim's son, Amzad Hossain, filed a murder case at Manda Police Station.

Following an investigation, police submitted a charge sheet to the court, listing 34 individuals as accused. With eight of the accused having died during the trial, the judge, after extensive hearings and witness testimonies, found the remaining 26 accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt under sections 302 and 34 of the Penal Code. The court sentenced each of the 26 accused to life imprisonment, a fine of Tk 20,000, and an additional two months of simple imprisonment in case of non-payment of the fine.