DHAKA, Dec 26, 2021 (BSS) - A court has here sentenced 13 men to death and eight to life imprisonment in a case filed for murdering Zahirul Haque, general secretary of Natai Dakkhin Union's ward no 5 unit of Awami League (AL) in Brahmanbaria in 2016.

  Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka handed down the verdict today.

   The court also sentenced eight others to life imprisonment in the case and fined Taka 50,000 each, in default of which they have to serve one more year in prison.

   According to the case statement, on November 14 in 2016, Zahirul Haque was returning to his village home from Brahmanbaria Uttar Paurotola Bus stand riding on a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in the then evening.

  Subsequently, the victim was attacked brutally by the accused which made him severely injured on the spot.

  The auto-rickshaw driver was also badly injured by the accused.

  Zahirul died at Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital around 8.30 pm on that day.

  Later, Kabir Hossain, younger brother of Zahirul, filed a murder case with the Brahmanbaria Sadar Police Station.

  The case's investigating officer filed a charge sheet against 21 accused persons where 16 accused are in jail and the rest five are still at large.