Dhaka: The High Court on Tuesday has started delivering its verdict on the death references and appeals in the sensational Narayanganj seven-murder cases.

The HC bench of Justice Bhabani Prasad Singha and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam began reading out the verdict at 10:30 am.

The High Court was scheduled to deliver the verdict on August 13, but it changed the date for delivering the verdict on the death references and appeals of 26 death-row convicts in two cases filed over Narayanganj seven-murder and fixed on Tuesday for verdict.

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 lodged 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 April 27, 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 Shitalakhya River.

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 son-in-law filed the other case.