A local court yesterday framed charges against Awami League lawmaker Amanur Rahman Khan Rana and 13 others in the murder case of freedom fighter Faruk Ahmed.

Judge Abul Mansur Miah of the Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court-1 framed charges against them under sections 34, 120 and 302 of the Penal Code, said Court Inspector Anwarul Islam.

The court fixed October 18 for hearing testimonies of the witnesses.

On February 3 last year, the Detective Branch of Tangail police pressed charges against the 14 accused. Of them, lawmaker Rana, Samir Miah, Anisul Islam Raja and Mohammad Ali are behind bars and Farid Ahmed, Nasir Uddin Nuru and Masudur Rahman are on bail.

The seven other accused -- Jahidur Rahman Kakon, Shahidur Rahman Khan Mukti, Saniyat Khan Bappa, Kabir Hossain, Babu Miah, Alamgir Hossain Chan and Sanwar Hossain -- have been on the run.

Jahidur, former president of Tangail Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Shahidur, ex-Tangail mayor, and Saniyat, former vice-president of Chhatra League, are Rana's brothers.

Meanwhile, Faruk's wife Nahar Ahmed yesterday expressed satisfaction with framing charges in the case. She demanded justice for her husband.

Some supporters of Faruk brought out a procession in the court area demanding capital punishment for the MP and other accused.

The lawmaker was brought to the court from Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur around 9:00am. The MP from Tangail-3 (Ghatail) had filed three petitions with the court seeking exoneration from the case, a reinvestigation and medical facilities in prison.

“The court rejected two petitions saying that there was no legal provision for exonerating him from the case and launching a reinvestigation,” said Tangail Public Prosecutor S Akbar Khan. 

The judge, however, accepted the third petition and granted the MP some medical facilities in prison.

Accused Anisul and Mohammad Ali had given confessional statements to the court under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). A total of 23 prosecution witnesses would testify before the court, Akbar added.

Rana had surrendered to the court on September 18 last year after remaining absconding for about 22 months since the filing of the case. The court rejected his bail prayer and sent him to jail.

The bullet-hit body of Tangail AL leader Faruk, 60, was found near his College Para home in the town on January 18, 2013, hours after he was shot dead.

Three days later, his wife Nahar Ahmed filed the murder case with Tangail Model Police Station accusing unidentified people.

Earlier, the hearing for framing charges in the case was deferred eight times as the lawmaker was not produced before the court due to “illnesses”.

The Supreme Court on August 23 this year asked the authorities concerned to produce the lawmaker before the trial court on September 6.

On May 8, the SC stayed for four months a High Court order that granted bail to Rana in the murder case. The apex court also asked the trial court to complete the trial of the case in six months.

According to the charge sheet of the case, Faruk in 2012 had expressed willingness to contest for the post of Tangail AL general secretary.

But Rana and his family members opposed his candidature as the lawmaker's younger brother Shahidur Rahman Khan Mukti was taking preparations to run for the same post.

Rana tried in vain to persuade Faruk to quit the race. The MP and his brothers then ordered their accomplices to kill the AL leader, read the charge sheet.

Police had started probing the case before the Tangail DB was tasked with the job.

Law enforcers arrested Anisul and Mohammad Ali in August 2014. During interrogation on remand, they cited the involvement of the MP and his three brothers in the murder.

On February 3 this year, Investigating Officer Mahfeejur Rehman Ghulam, then officer-in-charge of Tangail DB, pressed charges against the 14 accused in the court.