Hearing on charge framing Mar 12

A Dhaka court yesterday fixed March 12 for hearing on charge framing against 14 Harkatul Jihad (Huji) men, including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan in connection with the Ramna Batamul blast cases.
Judge ANM Bashir Ullah of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka fixed the date after receiving reports on arrest warrants against eight absconding accused in connection with the case filed under Explosive Substances Act.
Earlier on February 18, the court directed the authorities concerned to publish advertisements in two national Bangla dailies asking eight absconding accused, including former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu's brother Tajuddin to appear before it by yesterday. But they did not comply with the court order.
As they did not appear, the judge ordered additional district magistrate (ADM) to appoint state-defence lawyers to represent eight absconding accused including Tajuddin.
On the other hand, the ADM had earlier appointed eight state defence lawyers to defend the absconding accused in connection with case filed for killing the victims.
Mufti Hannan and four others, now in jail, were produced before the court during yesterday's hearing while Maulana Akbar Hussain, now on a High Court bail was also present.
The carnage at Ramna Batamul took place during Pahela Baishakh celebrations on April 14 in 2001 that left 10 people dead and scores injured.
On November 29 last year, Criminal Investigation Department submitted the charge sheets of the cases to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka accusing Mufti Hannan and 13 others of the heinous offences.