The High Court on Tuesday upheld the death penalty of two convicts in the case over the murder of four Awami League activists in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj district in 2002.

The HC bench of Justice SM Emdadul Hoque and Justice K M Zahid Sarwar passed the order after hearing the appeal petitions of 23 convicts.

Those whose death penalty was upheld are Zahirul Haque Bhuiya alias Zahir Member and Abdul Ahad.

The court also acquitted 11 convicts and commuted the death sentence of seven convicts to life term imprisonment in the case.

Of the 23 death row convicts—three died during the trial proceeding. They were Abul Bashar alias Kashu Chairman, Yunus Ali Member and Idris Ali.

The lifers are Faruk, Khokon, Dalim, Rohel, Liakat Ali, Al Amin and Ruhul Amin.

Those who got acquit al are-Siraj Uddin alias Siraj, Sahab Uddin, Md Halim, Yakub Ali, Amir Hossain, Abul Kalam, Rafique Mia, Golam Azam, Abdul Hye, Harun and Tajuddin.

Deputy Attorney General Sujit Chatarjee Bappi represented the state.

According to the prosecution, four AL activists -Abdul Barek, younger brother of former president of Araihazar Upazila unit Chhatra League Rafiqul Islam, his cousin Badal, Faruk and Kabir Hossain were picked up by a group of people led by the then former vice president of Araihazar upazila unit BNP Abul Bashar on March 12, 2022.

Later, they were stabbed and burned to death.

Azgar Ali, father of Barek, filed a case against 18 people including BNP leader Abul Bashar. Police submitted chargesheet against 23 people.

On May 17, 2017, Narayanganj Additional District and Session Judge Kamrun Nahar sentenced 23 people to death.