Dhaka: The High Court on Monday acquitted five death row convicts and 21 lifers of murder charge in a case in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj district.

An HC bench comprising Justice Abu Bakar Siddiquee and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam passed the order after hearing the petitions filed by the convicts against the lower verdict pronounced in 2009.

The condemned convicts are-Barek, Omar Ali, Sohel alias Safu, Afash Uddin and Shawkat Ali. Of them, Omar Ali died in prison during the trial proceedings, said his lawyer, reports UNB.

According to the prosecution, Abdul Latif, a resident of Mardashadi village in Araihazar upazila, was stabbed to death by the convicts over previous enmity on September 10, 1998.

Later, a murder case was filed. Police submitted chargesheet against 26 people on December 31, 1999.

On November 24, 2009, Narayanganj Additional District and Session Judge sentenced five people to death and 21 others to life term imprisonment in the case.

The convicts then filed separate petitions challenging he lower court verdict.