Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Sunday sentenced 10 people to death in a case filed over murder attempt on the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Kotalipara of Gopalganj 17 years back.

Dhaka's Second Speedy Trial Tribunal judge Mamtaj Begum passed the verdict this morning.

The court also asked to ensure the death of the convicts in firing squad after approval from the High Court.

The 10 death-row convicts are Asim Akter alias Tarek Hossain, Md Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Yusuf alais Moshab Morol, Sheikh Farid alias Moulana Shawkat Osman, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Abu Bakar, Hafez Maulana Yahiya, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye, and Maulana Abdur Rouf.

Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud, one of the accused, got life term imprisonment and was fined Tk 10,000 in the case.

The court also gave 14 years of rigorous imprisonment to three other accused, including Md Anisul Islam alias Anis and Tk 10,000 fine each.

If they fail to pay the fine, they will have to suffer another year in jail.

A total of 10 people, including Khandaker Kamal Uddin, were also acquitted from the murder attempt charge.

The same court also gave nine people to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk 20,000 each in a case filed under explosive substances act over the unearthing of 76 kg explosives near the rally venue of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in Gopalganj in 2000.

The 20-year imprisonment recipients are Md Yusuf alias Moshab Morol, Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud, Asim Akter alias Tarek Hossain. Md Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman, Mahmud Azhar, Md Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Shah Newaz and Sheikh Md Enamul Haque.

Four out of total 13 accused in the case have been acquitted from the charge.

Police found a 76-kilogram bomb in front of a shop adjacent to Sheikh Lutfur Rahman Govt High School on July 20, 2000 where Hasina was supposed to address a rally on July 22.

Another 40-kg heavy bomb was also recovered by an Army bomb expert squad from near the Kotalipara helipad on July 23.

Nur Hossain, sub-inspector of Kotalipara Police Station, filed a case under the Explosive Substances Act in connection with the incident.

Police pressed charges against 16 people, including executed Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, on April 8, 2001.

On June 29, 2009, police submitted a complementary charge sheet implicating nine more people.

On September 2010, the case was transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 of Dhaka from where the case documents were sent to the tribunal-2.

Of the 25 accused, eight are now in jail while 15 have been on the run and one is on bail.

Moreover, Mufti Hannan was executed on April 12, 2017 over the grenade attack on the then UK High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury at Shahjalal Shrine in Sylhet in 2004.