The convicts are Naldanga regional PBCP commander Ataur Rahman, group leader Ashraf Hossain and armed cadres Saiful Islam Ripon, Ashraful Islam Raja and Abdul Jalil Shimul.

Rajshahi Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal judge AFM Aminul Islam gave the verdict in a case from Natore district.

Public prosecutor Ketabuddin said police did not inform the tribunal about Saiful's killing till the judgement was delivered.

Of the five, Saiful was kidnapped and killed on March 14 last year by Bangla Bhai's organisation Muslim Rakkha Mujahidin Oikkya Parishad that was later turned into Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB).

Ataur was held with a bag of arms in Natore a few months ago and was given a 40-year jail term by a Natore court on Monday.

Ashraf and Ashraful were held in Rajshahi while Jalil is absconding.

PBCP operatives had termed Majedur, Madhnagar union BNP president, a 'class enemy' and slaughtered him near Madhnagar railway station in April, 2003.

The murder of Gama, a nephew of the deputy minister, and repeated PBCP threats to him had sparked off an anti-outlaw agitation by local BNP that resulted in the vigilante action by Bangla Bhai's Jagrata Muslim Janata. The JMJB is blamed for 22 murders and torturing more than 100 people since April, 2004.

Meanwhile, with yesterday's judgment, the tribunal is now left with almost no cases.

The tribunal has so far awarded death penalty to 27 people, life imprisonment to 228, varying jail terms to 56 and acquitted some 356 others in 94 cases it disposed of since its inception in November, 2002.

Nine cases out of 104 that were sent to the tribunal are now pending with the High Court and only one case awaits judgement.