Sixteen people, accused of being involved in the murder of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, have been indicted as the case trial began at a Feni court on Thursday.
Judge Mamunur Rashid of Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal also set the next hearing on June 17.
The court started hearing the case around 11am on Thursday and continued till 4pm in the presence of all the accused, Public Prosecutor Advocate Hafiz Ahmed said.
The 16 accused were indicted according to Section 4/1/30 of the Women and Children Prevention Repression Act, he added.
Of the accused, 12 have already given their confessional statement before a magistrate, the public prosecutor said.
Ninety-two witnesses have been included in the 772-page charge sheet.
The accused are: Md Sirajuddaula, Nur Uddin, Shahdat Hossain Shamim, Maksud Alam alias Moksud Al councillor, Saifur Rahman Mohammad Jobayer, Jabed Hossain alias Sakhwat Hossain Jaber, Hafez Abdul Kader, Afsar Uddin, Kamrun Nahar Moni, Umme Sultana Popy alias Tuhin alias Shampa alias Champa, Abdur Rahim Sharif, Eftekhar Uddin Rana, Imran Hossain alias Mamun, Mohammad Shamim, Ruhul Amin, and Mohiuddin Shakil.
Nusrat, an Alim examinee and student of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil (Degree) Madrasa, died on April 10 from severe burn injuries four days after supporters of the now suspended madrasa principal, Sirajuddaula, set her on fire on the madrasa premises.
She had lodged a sexual harassment complaint with Sonagazi police station against Sirajuddaula on March 27. Sirajuddaula was subsequently arrested and sent to jail. Nusrat was set on fire when Sirajuddaula's associates failed to intimidate her into withdrawing the complaint.
