The convicts are then assistant general manager of Sonali Bank, Gulshan Local Branch Sirajuddin Ahmed, principal officer of the same branch Humayun Kabir Chowdhury and three others--managing director of Dhaka Metal Steel Works (Pvt.) Limited Shahidul Islam alias Nilu, company officials Harun-or-Rashid and Mohammad Firoz.

Judge Rezaul Karim Khan of the Special Court for Dhaka Division pronounced the verdict.

Of the convicts, Sirajuddin, Humayun and Firoz were present in the court during the delivery of the judgement while Nilu and Harun were tried in absentia.

The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the date of their arrest or surrender, the court said.

In the case filed with Gulshan Police Station, it was alleged that Shahidul, Harun and Firoz proposed to buy 200 tons of iron rods from Golam Kibria Chowdhury, managing director of Mobarak Re-Rolling Mills Ltd. in August 1988. They made a contract to pay the money through letters of credit (LC) of the bank against a guarantee of Tk 30 lakh from the Sonali Bank Gulshan Local branch.

When Kibria supplied the materials and went to the bank on August 1 1988, he found the letters of credit to be forged. Kibria came to learn that the three in connivance with the two bank officials committed the offence.

Golam Kibria filed a case against Shahid and two others on August 5 the same year and the investigation officer pressed charges against the two bank officials and four others on June 26, 1993.

Special Public Prosecutor Fazlur Rahman Khan appeared for the state while advocates Ruhul Amin and Ashraf Uddin defended the accused in the case.