Judge HM Mostak Ahmad handed down the death penalty to Mohammad Siraj, son of Musa Mia of Manikchhari upazila in Khagrachhari. He was tried in absentia.

The lifers are Zakir Hossain Siraj, Hanif Member, Rafique Mia, Masud Parvez, Montaz Hossain, Babul Mia, Chan Charan Tripura, Milan Tripura, Taher Ahmad, Abul Kalam Azad and Abul Ahad.

However, 14 other accused were acquitted.

According to the prosecution, the convicts entered the house of Kamal Hossain, Manikchhari correspondent of the daily Ajker Kagoj, at village Tintohari breaking open the door and kidnapped him at midnight on August 21 in 2004.

Sensing the presence of criminals, Kamal hid himself on the false ceiling of his tin-shed house but was forced to come down as the criminals threatened to kill his baby boy.

In the next morning, the police recovered the beheaded body of Kamal at an arum field.

Kamal's younger brother Zahir Hossain lodged a murder case with Manikchhari Police Station. The police framed charges against 26 people. The case was transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal on August 21 in 2005.

Kamal's mother Bibi Kulsum and brother Zahir, who were present at the courtroom yesterday, expressed satisfaction over the judgement.

They, however, said that Hanif Member was one of the masterminds of the brutal murder and he should be given capital punishment.