DHAKA, Oct 12, 2022 (BSS) - The High Court (HC) today upheld the death penalty for five people and life imprisonment for another person in a case lodged over the murder of Ekushey Padak winning photojournalist Aftab Ahmed in 2013.

A High Court division bench comprising Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Bashir Ullah pronounced the judgment.

The court during pronouncing the judgment said that the death sentences were upheld as the state was able to prove all charges against the convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.

A hearing on death reference and appeals of the convicts was held yesterday.

On March 28, 2017, Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 sentenced the five men to death and another to life imprisonment for the murder of Aftab.

The capital punishment awardees are- Billal Hossain Kislu, Habib Hawlader, Raju Munshi, Rasel and Humayun Ahmed. Another accused of the case -Sabuj Khan was sentenced to life term in prison and a fine of taka 10,000. Among them- Raju Munshi and Rasel are absconding.

The death references were sent to the High Court, the convicts also appealed against the tribunal's verdict.

Veteran photojournalist Aftab Ahmed's body was found at his house in the capital's West Rampura on December 25, 2013. Ahmed, who worked for Dainik Ittefaq, was awarded with Ekushey Padak in 2006 for his outstanding contribution to journalism.