Thursday fixed for hearing on charge framing

A Dhaka court yesterday fixed Thursday for hearing on charge framing against five accused in a case filed over Banani double rape.

Judge Shafiul Azam of the Second Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression passed the order after a lawyer for one of the accused sought an adjournment on the hearing.

All the five accused -- Ahmed Shafat, Shadman Sakif, Nayeem Ashraf alias Halim, Shafat's driver Billal Hossain and bodyguard Rahmat Ali -- who are now in jail, were produced before the court yesterday.

Earlier on June 19, the tribunal accepted the charge sheets against the five and fixed yesterday for hearing on charge framing.

On June 8, Ismot Ara Ame, inspector of the Women Support and Investigation Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, pressed the charges against the five Of them, Shafat, Nayem, Sakif and Billal gave confessional statements before magistrates on different dates.

Shafat, and Nayem were charged with raping the two university students. The three others faced charges of assisting them in various ways during and after the incident at a hotel in the capital on the night of March 28.

Shafat is the son of Dildar Hossain Selim, one of the owners of Apan Jewellers.

On May 6, one university girl filed the case with Banani Police Station accusing Shafat, Sakif and three others.