Dhaka, May 20 -- A court has handed down the death penalty to three individuals over the murder of a college student in Bhairab Upazila of Kishoreganj, 17 years after the killing took place.

On Tuesday, Judge Fatema Akter Swarna of the Third Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court in Kishoreganj delivered the verdict.

Those sentenced to death have been identified as Suman Mia, 39, Selina Begum, 41, and Shobha Prokash, 47.

A native of Kuliarchar Upazila, the victim, 22-year-old Mohammad Ali, was a first-year BSc student at Hazi Asmat College in Bhairab and resided in accommodation provided by the college.

Citing the case details, Assistant Public Prosecutor Shafiuzzaman said that on the night of Jan 6, 2008, the accused hacked A...