11 'militants' indicted for Ashulia bank heist killings

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against 11 militant suspects over the killing of eight people during a bank heist in Ashulia last year.

Ten of them now in jail pleaded not guilty after Judge SM Kuddus Zaman of District and Sessions Judge's Court read out the charges to them.

The other is absconding.

The trial is scheduled to start on February 1.

According to the charge sheet, all the accused are alleged members of banned Islamist outfits Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

In broad daylight on April 21 last year, robbers shot eight people dead and injured several others in Bangladesh Commerce Bank Ltd in Ashulia, outside the capital, before leaving with Tk 35 lakh. A mob beat one robber to death while a ninth victim succumbed to injuries later.

On December 1 last year, Ashulia police submitted two charge sheets -- one for the killings and robbery, and the other for possessing explosives.      

The case lodged for possessing explosives is pending with another Dhaka court.

Ashulia police said during investigation, they discovered involvement of 13 people in the killings and robbery.

One of the 13 was killed by the mob and the mastermind of the robbery, Abdullah Al Baki, died in a shootout with law enforcers in November last year, they said.

Baki was said to be a member of Ansarullah Bangla Team, and a former operative of JMB.