Bangladesh court sentences nine to death, hands out life term to 25 others for attacking Sheikh Hasina 25 years ago

A Bangladesh court on Wednesday sentenced nine members of the main opposition party to death and handed life terms to another 25 for attempting to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 25 years ago, a government lawyer said.

Thirteen people were also jailed for 10 years for their part in the attack on a train carrying Hasina in 1994, prosecutor Aminul Islam said.

At that time, Hasina was opposition leader and her arch rival, Khaleda Zia, was prime minister. Now Zia and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are the opposition.