A Dhaka court today framed charges against former national cricketer Shahadat Hossain and his wife Jesmine Jahan Nrittya in a case filed for torturing their 11-year-old domestic help.

Judge Tanjina Ismail of the Fifth Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression fixed March 20 for starting the trial of the case.  

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Shahadat and his wife, now on bail, pleaded not guilty after the judge read out the charges brought against them.

On September 6 last year, the domestic help, Happy, brought the allegation of torture against Shahadat and his wife. Later, a case was filed against the couple with Mirpur Police Station in this connection.

Police on October 4 last year arrested Shahadat's wife in the capital's Malibagh area. Shahadat surrendered before the court on the following day.

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Police on December 27, 2015 pressed charges against Shahadat and Nrittya in the case.

On September 13 the same year pacer Shahadat was temporarily suspended by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).