Dhaka: The High Court on Thursday upheld death sentences for six Jama’atul Mujahided Bangladesh (JMB) members who were convicted earlier in connection with bomb attack on Gazipur Bar Association Auditorium in 2005 that left nine people dead.

The HC also sentenced two convicts to life term imprisonment and acquitted two others in the case.

A HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justic JBM Hassan issued the verdict at about 11:45am.

The apex court upheld death penalty for Enayet Ullah alias Walid alias Jewel, Arifur Rahman alias Akash alias Hasib, Saidur Munshi alias Shahidul Munshi alias Emon alias Palash, Abdullah Al Sohain alias Zayeed alias Akash, Nizam Uddin Reza alias Rony alias Kochi, and Taibur Rahman alias Hassan.

The life termers are Mosidul Islam Masud alias Bhutto, and Adnan Sami alias Ammar alias Jahangir.

The court acquitted Mohammad Ashraful Islam alias Arshad alias Abbas Khan, and Mohammad Shafiullah alias Tareque alias Abdul Kalam.

The prosecution lawyer was Deputy Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Moniruzzaman Kabir, while Saifur Rashid Shabuj, Barrister Golam Nabi, Advocate Shariful Islam, former Justice Advocate Delwar Hossain, and Advocate Helal Uddin Molla were the lawyers of defendants.

The HC bench on 20 July after concluding a hearing on the death references and appeals fixed 28 July for the verdict.

On 29 November, 2005, two powerful bombs were exploded in the hall 2 of Gazipur Bar Association  Auditorium killing nine people, including four lawyers—Bar Association general secretary Amzad Hossain, Nurul Huda, Anwarul Azam and Golam Faruk—and four justice seekers dead.

The other deceased was JMB suicide squad member Azad alias Zia alias Nazir alias Nahid. A case was filed against JMB leaders Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Ataur Rahman Sunny and some other operatives with Joydevpur Police Station.

After investigation, police on 4 July, 2007 submitted charge-sheet against 15 accused dropping the names of Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Sunny and Khaled Saifullah as they had earlier been executed in other cases.

On 24 April, 2011, additional district and session’s judge court-1 of Gazipur framed charges against 10 JMB men and the case was shifted to the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 of Dhaka on 3 October of the same year for trial.

On 20 June, 2013, the speedy trial tribunal sentenced the 10 JMB men to death.

Later, death references were sent to the High Court for its approval. At the same time, the convicts filed appeals and jail appeals against the sentence. All the 10 JMB men are now behind the bars.