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A court has sentenced SM Golam Kibria Shamim, a controversial government contractor, and his seven bodyguards to life imprisonment in a firearms case.
Judge Sheikh Samidul Islam of the Special Tribunal-4 delivered the verdict on Sunday.
The other convicts are Delwar Hossain, Murad Hossain, Jahidul Islam, Shahidul Islam, Kamal Hossain, Samshad Hossain and Aminul Islam.
The court moved to open trial proceedings against Shamim and his bodyguards after indicting them on Jan 28, 2020.
A total of 10 people have testified in this case for the state.
Shamim, who passed himself off as a Jubo League leader, made a fortune as a government contractor.
The Rapid Action Battalion arrested Shamim and his bodyguards in a raid on his business in Dhaka’s Niketon on Sept 20, 2019.
The authorities seized about Tk 20 million in cash, Tk 1.75 billion worth of fixed-deposit receipts or FDR savings, alcohol and firearms during the raid.
It came two days after a RAB unit arrested Jubo League leader Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, who was expelled by the organisation, for running illegal casino operations inside the Young Men’s Club in the capital's Fakirapool.
Shamim was known as an influential contractor in the neighbourhoods of Sabujbagh, Basabo and Motijheel. He also made headlines for using his influence over the Public Works Department to secure contracts.