A Bogura court on Monday sentenced two defendants to death and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of businessman Ragibul Hasan Hridoy, who was attacked after refusing to pay extortion money. Additional District and Sessions Judge-5 Kausik Ahmed Khondkar announced the verdict at about 11:30am. The death-row convicts are Saddam Hossain Swadhin and Md Rabbi, while Ashik, Shakil and Matin received life terms.

The court also fined each of the five convicts Tk50,000. It ordered that half of the fine money be given to Hridoy’s child and the remaining half deposited in the state treasury. According to the case details, the accused went to Hridoy’s business establishment in Bogura city’s Kaipara Pukurpar area on the evening of July 20, 2021, and demanded extortion money.

After Hridoy refused, the accused entered the shop and seriously injured him with sharp weapons, the case account said. His father, Mamunur Rashid, was also injured when he tried to protect his son. Hridoy later died while receiving treatment, and his mother, Ayesha Siddika, filed the murder case. His parents expressed satisfaction with the verdict and called for its swift execution.