Court starts recording witnesses' testimonies

A Sylhet court yesterday started recording testimonies in the murder case of former finance minister SAMS Kibria.

Judge Makbul Ahsan of Sylhet Speedy Trial recorded the statement of the complainant of the case, lawmaker and Awami League's Habiganj district general secretary Abdul Majid Khan.

Public Prosecutor Kishore Kumar Kar said 171 witnesses will testify and October 21 and 22 have been fixed for next depositions.

The then opposition lawmaker and Awami League leader SAMS Kibria with four others, including his nephew Shah Manzur Huda and local AL leader Abdur Rahim, were killed in a grenade attack on a rally in Habiganj on January 27, 2005.

Fourteen of the 32 accused,  including state minister for home during BNP-led government Lutfozzaman Babar, and Mufti Abdul Hannan, leader of banned Islamist militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami, are in jail now while eight are on bail, and 10 others, including Harris, political secretary to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, are absconding.