The Criminal Investigation Department today pressed charges against 13 members of banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (Huji) including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan for bomb blasts on a CPB rally at Paltan in the capital 12 years back.

The 13 faces charges in two cases -- one filed for killing eight people and the other under Explosives Act.

In his complaint, the then CPB president Manzurul Ahsan Khan said a group of anti-state conspirators carried out the January 20, 2001 the attack at Paltan Maidan.

CID Inspector Mrinal Kanti Saha, also the investigation officer of the cases, submitted two charge sheets to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka.

Of the accused, Huji chief Mufti Hannan, Mainuddin Sheikh, Arif Hassan Sumon, Maulana Sabbir Ahmed, Maulana Shawkat Osman and Md Moshiur Rahman are now remaining in jail.

Mufti Abdul Hai, Shafiqur Rahman, Jahangir Alam Badar, Md Nur Islam, Mohibul Muktakim, Anisur Rahman and Rafiqul Alam Miraj went into hiding after the incident.