National

21 chargesheeted in Holey Artisan attack case

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) has pressed charges against 21 people in the case filed over the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital.

The charge sheet has been submitted to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court under Anti-Terrorism Act-2009.

Md Monirul Islam, chief of the CTTC on Monday said this at a press conference held at DMP media centre.  

Of them, five were killed on the spot on that fateful night and eight others in the nationwide anti-militant crackdown by law enforcers. The first six JMB operatives, who gave confessional statements under section 164, are now in jail while the remaining two are at large, he said. 

Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh operatives Rakibul Hasan Regan, Hadisur Rahman Sagor, Jahangir Hossain Rajeeb alias Rajeeb Gandhi, Rashedul Islam alias Rash, Sohel Mahfuj, Mizanur Rahman alias Baro Mizan are in the jail. 

However, Professor Hasnat Karim of the North South University (NSU) was dropped from the charge sheet.

On July 1, 2016, five armed militants stormed the upscale eatery in Gulshan diplomatic zone and held diners hostage at gunpoint.

Three Bangladeshis, seven Japanese, nine Italians and one Indian were brutally murdered by the gunmen. Two police officials were also killed and 29 others injured when law enforcers in groups attempted to close in on the place.