A Dhaka court has deferred the long-awaited verdict in Jahangirnagar University student Zubair Ahmed murder case until February 8.

Judge ABM Nizamul Haque of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 of Dhaka was scheduled to deliver the verdict yesterday.

But the new date was set as seven of the accused, now in jail, could not be produced before the court on security grounds amid the ongoing BNP-led alliance's hartal.

On completion of the arguments from the prosecution and defence, the court on January 28 had fixed yesterday for pronouncing the judgment.

The court also cancelled bail of the seven out of 13 accused and sent them to jail while the rest were shown fugitives after they escaped from the court dock in February 2014.

They are still at large.

Earlier, the court recorded statements of 27 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.

Zubair Ahmed, an honours final year student of English department, was tortured and stabbed allegedly by some activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, pro-Awami League student body, on January 8, 2012. He died from his injuries in a Dhaka hospital the next day.

Hamidur Rahman, former deputy registrar of JU, filed the murder case with Ashulia Police Station the same day.