11 ‘militants’ indicted over Ashulia bank robbery

A court here on Thursday framed charges against 11 suspected militants in a case filed over the killing of eight people during a bank robbery bid in Ashulia in April last year.

 

Judge of the District and Session’s Judge Court ASM Kuddus Zaman framed the charges against the accused and fixed February 1 for starting the trial, reports UNB.

 

The court also rejected the petition moved by the defence lawyers for releasing the accused from the charges.

 

As the charges were read out before the accused, they pleaded not guilty and sought justice.

 

The accused are Borhan Uddin, Al Amin, Babul Sarder, Mintu Pradhan, Jasimuddin, Abdul Baten, Mozammel Haque, Ukil Hasan, Mahfuzul Haque, Shahjahan Jamadar and Polash alias Sohel Rana.

 

They are the suspected members of the banned Islamist outfits Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh.

 

On January 7, the same court accepted the chargesheet in the murder case in presence of 10 accused.

 

The court also issued a warrant for the arrest of a fugitive accused, Polash alias Sohel Rana.

 

On December 6, 2015, officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station Dipak Kumar Saha, also investigation officer of the case, submitted two chargesheets-- one for the killing and the robbery, and the other for possessing explosives-- against the 11 militants.

 

On April 21, 2015, at least eight people, including the bank manager and a robber, were killed and 23 others injured during a robbery bid at a branch of Bangladesh Commerce Bank Ltd at Kathgora in Ashulia.