Jhalakathi District Additional Sessions Judge had sentenced the seven militants to death by hanging on May 29. Others to walk the gallows are JMB Majlish-e-Shura members Ataur Rahman Sunny, Abdul Awal and Khaled Saifullah, suicide bomber Iftekhar Hasan Al Mamun and Asadur Rahman Arif. All except Arif are in jail.

The death reference bench of the HC on August 23 fixed today for delivering judgement on the completion of the hearing that had begun on August 1.

The JMB killed Shahid Sohel Ahmed, senior assistant judge of Nalchhiti upazila, and Jagannath Pandey, senior assistant judge of Jhalakathi sadar upazila, in a bomb attack on the judges' vehicles at Chandkathi in Jhalakathi on November 14 last year.

Immediately after the lower court's verdict on May 29, the government took steps for quick disposal of the militants' death reference case as over 500 cases still await paper-book, history of case, preparation and death reference hearing before the HC.

On the government's instructions, the attorney general's office in June petitioned to the HC to give priority in preparing the paper-book for the death reference case.

The HC granted the prayer on June 15. On completion of the paper book reading, the government moved in the death reference bench for hearing the case.