Judge Kazi Rahmat Ullah of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Special Tribunal-2 then adjourned hearing till July 6.

Earlier, Simin had given her statement in the court on January 12 this year and defence counsels completed her cross-examination on January 21.

An witness to the seizure list in the case, Arshad Ul Haq, also husband of Shazneen's elder sister, gave a statement before the court yesterday. Cross-examination of another witness to the seizure list Fakhruzzaman ended yesterday.

Lawyers of accused Hasan cross-examined Simin over her statement to police. She said the investigation officer had talked to her on September 5, 1998 but she could not say whether her statement was recorded or not.

Simin brushed aside defence lawyers' contention that Shazneen and she did not meet Hasan on April 21, 1998 prior to Shazneen's killing on the night of April 23.

Arshad Ul Haq said the investigation officer seized some of Shazneen's belongings in his presence on the night of the incident. He identified the seizure list and his signature.

Fakhruzzaman said police recovered in his presence a bloodstained knife and pieces of broken glass from under a lichi plant at Shaz-neen's residence.

Lawyers of the accused submitted a petition yesterday for bringing to court another sister of Shazneen, Sajre Haq Sezi, for cross-examination.

Special public prosecutor ABM Sharfuddin Khan Mukul, Mahbub Ahmed, Arfan Uddin Khan, Anisur Rahman and Saima Khanam moved for the state, while advocate Mosharraf Hossain Kajal and MA Kamrul Hasan Khan Aslam appeared for the accused.

Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, the youngest daughter of Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom, was raped and killed at their residence on the night of April 23, 1998. Her father filed a murder case with the Gulshan Police Station the same night. Hearing of the murder case is suspended under a High Court order.

The tribunal is hearing the rape case filed by police.