The High Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentences of 10 extremists for plotting to kill Sheikh Hasina at her home district in Gopalganj in 2000 while she was the prime minister in her first term.

The bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Md Badruzzaman upheld the death sentences of all the 10 extremists, who were earlier convicted by the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 on August 20, 2017.

The 10-condemned extremists are - Washim Akhter alias Tareq Hossain, Md Rashed Driver, Sheikh Farid, Moulana Abdur Roub, Mawlana Abu Bakkar, M Yusuf alias Abu Musa Harun, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar, Mufti Abdul Haye, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman and Hafez Mowlana Eahia.

Six of the 10 convicts, who are now detained in various jails, appealed challenging their convictions, deputy attorney general Bashir Ullah told New Age.

The High Court also upheld the life term of another accused named Mehedi Hasan and 14-year jail terms of another convict named Anisul alias Anis.

The court acquitted a school teacher named Sarwar Hossain, who was earlier jailed for 14-year by the lower court, of the plotting charge.

The court asked the authorities to free another convict Mohibullah Alias Mafizur Rahman, who was also sentenced to 14 years by the lower court for plotting charges on the consideration that he had already completed his 14-year jail terms.

The cases were filed following an aborted attempt to assassinate Hasina, then prime minister, during her election campaigns at Kotalipara, Gopalganj on July 20, 2000, by planting two caches of bombs around her podium.