Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to file leave to appeal against the acquittal of four accused in the sensational Biswajit murder case.

Chamber Judge Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the government seeking stay on the acquittal the four accused.

Earlier on August 6, the High Court upheld the death penalty of two convicts while commuted the death sentence of four to life term imprisonment and acquitted two death-row convicts in the Biswajit murder case.

Among the convicts, the court upheld the death penalty of Rafiqul Islam Shakil and Rajon Talukdar while commuted the death penalty Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, Emdadul Haq Emdad, GM Rasheduzzaman Shaon and Mir Nure Alam Limon to life term imprisonment.

Two death-row convicts-Kaiyim and Saiful Islam—and two lifers—Golam Mostafa and HM Kibria—were acquitted.

On December 18, 2013, a tribunal condemned eight activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) to death and 13 others to life term imprisonment in the Biswajit Das killing case.

On December 9, 2012, tailoring shop employee Biswajit Das was chopped to death by some Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists near Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka during the opposition’s countrywide road blockade programme.