Dhaka:
The Bangladesh Supreme Court has upheld the death penalties for five ex-Army officers convicted for killing the country's first president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Rahman, considered the founder of Bangladesh, was assassinated at his own house in a military coup in 1975, four years after he led Bangladesh to independence. Rahman's wife, three sons, and several of his political advisors were also shot dead in the coup.
In 1998, a court awarded the death sentence to 15 army officers who then appealed against that verdict. Three of those officers were acquitted; seven managed to leave Bangladesh; five are still in jail. (
Read: Chronology of events leading to conviction)
Law enforcement and security agencies have enforced a tight security vigil in the capital and vital installations elsewhere.
The Supreme Court judges hearing the case arrived under heavy security Escort.
Witnesses said armed police and elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) troops escorted the five judges separately to the Supreme Court complex, where over 1,000 extra police and RAB men laid a security blanket.
They said the people were allowed inside the complex after confirmation of identities and body and vehicle searches, while sniffing dogs were also engaged.
Officials said extra security vigil was also enforced at other important installations including the nearby secretariat complex Dhaka Central Jail where five of the convicts were kept in isolated cells.