Judge Kazi Rahamat Ullah fixed the date on completion of argument by the two sides.

The defence lawyers of the six accused finished their argument in four hours and maintained that the accused Shahid, Hasan, Badal, Shaniram, Minu and Parvin were innocent and prayed for their acquittal of the rape charge.

Earlier, the tribunal recorded the statements of 22 out of the 74 prosecution witnesses in the case.

The trial of the case began on July 9, 2000 and was complete in 126 working days.

Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, 15, the youngest daughter of Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Ltd., was raped and murdered at their Gulshan residence in the city on April 23, 1998.

Latifur Rahman filed a murder case with Gulshan Police Station the following day accusing Shahidul alias Shahid, a domestic help at the house.

Mojibur Rahman, an assistant superintendent of CID police, filed a rape case with Gulshan Police Station on September 4, 1998 accusing Shahid, Hasan, Badal, Shaniram, Humayun (now deceased), Minu and Parvin.

Mojibur, who was also the investigation officer of the rape case, pressed charges against Shahid and five others on December 12, 1998, showing 74 people as prosecution witnesses.

The tribunal framed charges against Shahid and five others on April 13, 1999.

After the charges were framed, the defence lawyers filed a criminal appeal with the High Court (HC) Division, seeking a stay on charge framing.

After hearing, the HC stayed the proceedings of the case on August 25, 1999. Later, the HC vacated the stay order on November 1, 1999 and directed the tribunal to frame charges against the accused.

The tribunal framed charges against the accused again on May 28, 2000.

The HC also stayed the proceedings of the Shazneen murder case, pending with the First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka till disposal of the Shazneen rape case.

The death of Shazneen created widespread resentment across the country and people were eagerly waiting to see justice meted out to the real culprits.

Special public prosecutors (PPs) ABM Sharfuddin Khan Mukul, Mahbub Ahmed, Arfan Uddin Khan and Saima Khanam and Assistant PP Anisur Rahman appeared for the state. Advocates Mosharraf Hossain Kajol, Mizanur Rahman and MA Kamrul Hasan Khan Aslam defended the accused.