A court here today sentenced four people to life term imprisonment for murdering a carpenter named Sheikh Mohammad Abbas in city's Uttar Kalshi area in 2003.

The convicts-- Panchananda Sarker, Abdus Sattar, Laksman, and Swapan-- were also fined Tk 20,000 each and six months more behind bars in default of the payment.

Judge Iqbal Hossain of Dhaka Special Sessions Judge Court-5 handed down the verdict and issued an arrest warrant against the Sattar, Laksman, and Swapan as they have been on the run since the trial began in 2004.

According to the case, the victim was stabbed to death with sharp weapons on his way home on May 11, 2003. The victim's brother Sheikh Mohammad Akkas filed the case with Pallabi Thana the next day.

Charge sheets were pressed against a total of 10 by the then Pallabi Thana Sub-Inspector Mirash Uddin.