The principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa and 15 others were charged for the brutal killing of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi yesterday.

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) submitted an 808-page charge sheet before the court of Feni Judicial Magistrate Jakir Hossain, said Mohammad Iqbal, special superintendent of PBI.

The court acquitted five out of the 21 accused after Inspector Shah Alam, the investigation officer of the case, pressed the charges.

Regarding the acquittals, plaintiff’s lawyer M Shajahan said a decision on the matter would be taken after discussions with the victim’s family and scrutinisation of the charge sheet.

Talking to journalists, Nusrat’s brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman said, “We will check for weaknesses or loopholes in the charge sheet and discuss with our lawyer before taking any further step.”

Asked why former Sonagazi OC Moazzem Hossain was not named in the charge sheet, SP Iqbal said a probe team formed by the PBI headquarters had submitted a report on Moazzem. Necessary legal action would be taken in line with the information present in that report.

While briefing the press on Tuesday, PBI chief Banaj Kumar Majumder divulged how the killing was plotted and executed.

Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, was set ablaze on April 6 for refusing to withdraw a sexual harassment case against her principal Siraj Ud Doula.

The Alim examinee succumbed to her injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital five days later, triggering a public outcry.