Thirty-four years after Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in a military coup, the country's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence on five of his killers. Pronouncing the verdict after a trial that dragged on for 13 years, Justice M Tafazzal Islam, who headed a five-member bench, said, they find no cogent ground to interfere with the judgement order of the High Court. Seven others, who are absconding, were also sentenced to death by the apex court. One of them has been confirmed by the Foreign Office to have died in Zimbabwe recently. The apex court upheld the death sentence awarded to 12 of the killers by a lower court in 1998. The five, who will face the gallows, are sacked army officers Lt Col Syed Faruq Rahman, Sultan Shariar Rashid Khan, Mohiuddin Ahmed, AKM Mohiuddin and ex-Maj Bazlul Huda. Sheikh Mujib, popularly called Bangabandhu, who led Bangladesh to independence in 1971, was gunned down at his home in a posh Dhanmandi area, along with his wife and three sons in a coup on August 15, 1975. Sheikh Hasina was abroad at that time. A total of 20 people, including domestic staff, were killed when the Army officers stormed into his house, but the murder charges have been brought forward only for the killing of Sheikh Mujib.<br/>Bangladesh Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has urged people to remain calm and patient following the verdict in Bangabandhu murder case. According to officials in the Prime Minsiter's office, Sheikh Hasina expressed satisfaction with the final judgment on her father's killers. Sheikh Hasina who is the eldest daughter of Sheikh Mujibir Rehman also asked all to offer prayers for the just verdict. Sheikh Hasina cut short her visit to Italy to return home to Dhaka just hours before the landmark verdict that upheld the death sentences of five convicts, rejecting their appeals.<br/>