DHAKA: Two members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were Tuesday awarded 30 years imprisonment each with hard labour in jail for the serial bombing of Mymensingh court on August 17, 2005.

Judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal Court No 4 in Dhaka Mohammad Rezaul Islam pronounced the punishment in his verdict.

The convicted militants--Mohammad Kawsar Alam alias Suman and Amanullah Akand alias Sanaullah--were given 15 years rigorous imprisonment each under the Explosives Act 1908 and another 15 years each under the Special Powers Act.
 
Both were fined to pay Tk 10,000 each on both the charges or serve two more years in prison.

The court, however, acquitted 10 other suspects as the allegations against them “could not be established”. Most of the acquitted persons are on the run.

The convicted members of JMB stood in the dock unmoved as the judge delivered the verdict.

Mymensingh Kotwali thana SI Anisur Rahman had filed the case after the sensational bomb attacks on the court and the bar premises in the wake of a dreadful spread of the Islamist activities across the country at the time.

The accused had given confessional statements to the police. The court examined 20 witnesses out of 38, and came up with the verdict. Special Public Prosecutor Rafiqul Islam stood for the state.

BDST 1950/June 22, 2010  
MI/EH/MUA