DHAKA: A Dhaka court on Monday awarded eight people with death penalty and six others with lifetime imprisonment in much-talked-about Ramna Batamul bomb blast case some 14 years after of the deadly blast.

Additional Sessions Judge of Dhaka-2 Ruhul Amin handed down the verdict at 12:00pm.

The death convicts are-- Harkat-ul-Jihad activists Mufti Hannan, Arif Hasan Sumon, Mawlana Akbar Hossain, Mawlana M Tazuddin, Hafez Jahangir Alam, Moulana Abu Bakar, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman and Mufti Abdul Hai.

Those who are to suffer life in prison are-- Shahadat Ullah Jewel, Mawlana Abu Taher, Mawlana Abdur Rouf, Mawlana Sabbir, Mpulana Sawkat Osman, and Hafez Mawlana Yahiaya.

The lifetime convicts have also been fined Tk 50,000, in default to suffer one year more in prison.

On May 8 and the 18 both prosecution and defense placed arguments in the case.

On the day of the blast, Sergeant Amal Chandra of Babupura Police Station filed a murder case with Ramna Thana. Later, the Detective Branch and Criminal Investigation Department took over the case.

The blasts took place during the traditional celebrations of Bangla New Year 1408 organized by Chhayanaut at Ramna Batamul in city in 2001.

BDST: 1234 HRS JUN 23, 2014