Dhaka: The High Court deferred the announcement of its verdict on the death reference and appeals of the death-row convicts in the Narayanganj sensational seven-murder cases till 22 August.

A two-member HC bench comprising Justice Bhabani Prasad Singha and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam on Sunday morning re-fixed the date.

The verdict on the death reference and appeals of the death-row convicts in the Narayanganj sensational seven-murder cases appeared on Sunday’s cause list of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, said sources at the court.

Earlier on July 26, the HC bench fixed August 13 for delivering its verdict on completion of the hearing from both the prosecution and defence sides.

The HC started hearing on the death reference and appeals on May 22, filed by 26 condemned convicts in two cases filed over the seven-murder incident.

The paper book and all documents related to the murder cases were sent to the High Court on May 7.

A court of Narayanganj on January 16 last sentenced 26 people, including three sacked Rab officials and ex-city councillor

Nur Hossain, to death and nine others to different jail terms in the two cases filed over the sensational seven-murder incident.

On 27 April 2014, Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his three associates and driver were abducted from Fatullah area of Narayanganj.

At the same time, senior lawyer at the District Judge’s Court Chandan Kumar Sarkar and his driver were abducted on their way to the capital.

Three days after their abduction, the bodies of six of them, including Nazrul and Chandan, were recovered from the River Shitalakhya. The following day, the body of Nazrul’s car driver Jahangir was recovered from the river.

Later, Selina Islam Beauty, the widow of Nazrul Islam, filed a case against six people while Advocate Chandan Sarkar’s sonin-law filed the other case.