A Rangpur court today indicted eight militants of the banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) over the murder of a Japanese national in the district last year.

It floated arrest warrant against four absconding accused militants, our Dinajpur correspondent reports. Rest of the four accused are currently in Jail.

Rangpur Senior Judicial Magistrate Arifur Rahman framed the charges after hearing on the charge sheet placed by Investigating Officer Abdul Kader Zinali on July 3.

The accused Masud Rana, 33, said to be a JMB military commander of Rangpur region, Khoybar Hossain, 32, Ishhhat Ali, 34, and Abu Syeed, 28, are now in jail.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Saddam Hossain, Nazrul Islam, Shakhwat Hossain and Hasan Al Ansari. They are from Kurigram, Gaibandha and Panchagarh districts.

The court dropped names four persons including Rashedunnabi Khan Biplop a leader of Rangpur city BNP, Md Hira, business partner of deceased Japanese National, Jubo Dal leaders Kalo Rubel, Bhorsa Kazal and Meril Sumon as police could get any evidence of their involvement.

Police arrested them soon after the killing on October 3 last year and took them into remand several times, but could not get any vital information, said police.

Humayun Kabir, former DIG of Rangpur Range, last year said the JMB men were behind the killing and attacking foreign nationals in Rangpur and Dinajpur.