The lawyer for a former Bangladeshi home minister says a court has sentenced him to 17 years in prison on a weapons conviction.
Lutfozzaman Babar, who served as junior home minister until October of last year, was found guilty of possessing three handguns and some ammunition in his home without official permits. He was arrested in May.
The lawyer says Babar pleaded innocent and said he would appeal the court's ruling.
Bangladesh's interim administration has been conducting a crackdown on corruption in the impoverished country. Several former ministers and political leaders have been imprisoned in the past four months.
Zahurul Alam has the details.