11 indicted over Ashulia bank heist, trial Feb 1

A Dhaka court today framed charges against 11 alleged militants over the daring bank robbery that left eight people dead in April last year.

Sessions Judges Court Judge SM Kuddus Zaman read out the indictment statement in presence of 10 accused. He set February 1 to begin trial in the case.

One of the accused is currently on the run. Seven of the remaining others confessed their crime. All of them pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after indictment today.

On April 21, in broad daylight robbers shot seven people dead and injured at least 25 others in Bangladesh Commerce Bank Ltd in Ashulia on the outskirts of the capital before leaving with Tk 35 lakh.

A mob captured and beat one of the robbers to death and an injured died of his wounds later.

The investigating officer of the case, Dipak Kumar Saha, said during probe he discovered involvement of 13 people in the robbery and the killings.

One of the 13 was killed by the mob and the mastermind of the robbery, Abdullah Al Baki, was killed in a shootout with law enforcers in Gabtoli last month, he said.

Baki was said to be a member of Ansarullah Bangla Team who was a former member of banned Islamist militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Six “militants” took part in the robbery directly while the rest aided and abetted them, Dipak said, adding that seven accused have confessed before a court.