DHAKA: Police submitted the charge-sheet against six operatives of the banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) including its fugitive leader Major Zia in blogger and also Bangladeshi-born US citizen Avijit Roy murder case.

The inspector of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit, Md Monirul Islam, also investigation officer of the case, on Wednesday (Mar 13) placed the charge sheet before the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sorafuzzaman Ansari.

A total of 34 people have been made witnesses in the case. The IO of the case also sought exclusion of the names of 15 people, including Sadek Ali Mithu, from the case. 

The court, later, set March 25 for next hearing in the sensational case, after more than four years of the killing.

Sub inspector Nizam Uddin, General Recording Officer of the court under Shahbagh Police Station, confirmed the matter to Banglanews on Thursday (Mar 14).

Earlier on Feb 18, the IO has sent documents of the case to the Home Ministry for its approval.

The six ABT men are… Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque Zia (suspended major of Bangladesh Army), 42, and Akram Hossain alias Abir alias Adnan alias Hasibul alias Abdullah, 30, Mozammel Hossain alias Saimon (organisational name Shahriar), Md Abu Siddique Sohel alias Sakib alias Sajid alias Shahab, 34, Md Arafat Rahman, 24 (organisational name Siam alias Sazzad) and Shafiur Rahman alias Farabi, 29.
 
Of them, Major Zia and Akram Hossain are on the run.

Major Zia is the suspected masterminds of the killing of Avijit. 

On February 26 in 2015, a group of miscreants gruesomely hacked Avijit and his wife Rafida Ahmed at Suhrawardy Udyan gate near Dhaka university TSC area around 9:15 pm leaving them critically injured. 

Avijit was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries around 10:30 pm.
 
Ajay Roy, father of Avijit Roy, filed a case with Shahbag thana on the next day (February 27). 

BDST: 1739 HRS, Mar 14, 2019
RS/SMS