A Dhaka court today framed charges against eight militants in connection with the Gulshan café attack case.

Six militants who are now in jail, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after Judge Mujibur Rahman of the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal of Dhaka read out the charges to them.

The court fixed December 3 to start trial of the case after the incitement.

On July 1, 2016, armed militants stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital’s Gulshan and killed 20 hostages, mostly foreign nationals. Two police officials were also killed during the 12-hour standoff. Global terror outfit Islamic State-inspired home-grown militant group “neo-JMB” as police called it is held responsible for the Bangladesh’s worst ever terrorist attack.

The six accused are: Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi, Rakibul Hasan Regan, Rashedul Islam alias Rash, Sohel Mahfuz, Mizanur Rahman alias Baro Mizan and Hadisur Rahman Sagar.

Names of 13 other “militants” were not included in the charge sheet despite their involvement as they were killed in encounters with law enforcers at different places on different dates.

The accused told the court that no lawyers want to stand for them as the court asked them to appoint defense lawyers.

Hearing this, the court advised them to seek help from the legal aid.

The tribunal also issued arrest warrants against two fugitives — Shariful Islam Khaled and Mamunur Rashid Ripon.

On July 23, Inspector Humayun Kabir of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit who is also the investigation officer of the case pressed charges against eight alleged militants in the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka, showing 211 people as prosecution witnesses. dailystar