A Natore court has sentenced six individuals, including a local Awami League leader, to life imprisonment and fined each Tk 50,000 in connection with the 1999 murder of farmer Mesher Ali in Singra upazila. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday afternoon by Judge Saiful Islam of the Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-3, according to Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Shahed Mahmud Titu.

The convicted individuals are Mahbub Mridha, president of the Hatianandah Union Awami League and former UP chairman, along with Idris Ali, Abu Raihan Mridha, Kartik Mondal, Abul Hossain, and Yunus Ali. The case stemmed from a land dispute between Mesher Ali and his neighbor Soleman Mridha. On February 23, 1999, Mesher Ali was lured out of his home by a neighbor and later found critically injured; he died on the way to the hospital. His son filed a murder case the following day against eight people.

Police arrested the accused and submitted a charge sheet. Over the years, two accused died and two went into hiding. After 26 years of proceedings, the court convicted all six remaining accused, including the absconding ones.