The Appellate Division on Tuesday continued hearing appeals in the murder case of Awami League leader and former lawmaker Ahsanullah Master, with the proceedings adjourned until Wednesday.
A four-member bench headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury heard the matter for the third day.
Additional Attorney General Mohammad Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan appeared for the state, while lawyer SM Shahjahan represented the accused.
The appeal hearing began on 28 July, while the second day of proceedings was held on 2 August.
Ahsanullah Master, a freedom fighter, teacher and labour leader, was elected MP from the Gazipur-2 constituency in 1996 and 2001.
He was shot dead in broad daylight on 7 May, 2004, during a rally at the Noagaon MA Majid Mia High School field in Gazipur.
A speedy trial tribunal sentenced 22 accused, including BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar, to death and six others to life imprisonment in its 16 April, 2005 verdict.
Two of those sentenced to death later died.
The case was subsequently sent to the High Court as a death reference, while the accused filed appeals and jail appeals against the trial court verdict.
On 15 June, 2016, a High Court bench comprising Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath delivered its judgment.
The High Court upheld the death sentences of six accused and life imprisonment for two others. It commuted the death sentences of seven accused to life imprisonment and acquitted 11.
The six whose death sentences were upheld were Nurul Islam Sarkar, Nurul Islam Dipu, Mahbubur Rahman Mahbub, Shahidul Islam Shipu, Hafiz alias Kana Hafiz and Sohag alias Saru.
Shipu later died at Kashimpur Jail on 4 January.
The life sentences of Tipu and Nurul Amin were also upheld.
The seven death-row convicts whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment were Md Ali, Syed Ahmed Hossain Majnu, Anwar Hossain alias Anu, Ratan Mia alias Boro Mia Ratan, Jahangir alias Choto Jahangir, Abu Salam alias Salam and Mashiur Rahman alias Monu.
The High Court acquitted Amir Hossain, Jahangir alias Boro Jahangir, Faisal, Rony Mia alias Rony Fakir, Khokon, Lokman and Dulal Mia, who had faced death sentences.
It also acquitted Monir, Rakib Uddin Sarkar alias Pappu, Ayub Ali and Jahangir, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment.
The convicted accused later appealed against the High Court verdict, bringing the case before the Appellate Division. The appeals are now under hearing.
