The date was shifted as two of the accused-- JMB activists Ataur Rahman Sunny and Abdul Awal Arif -- could not be produced before the court yesterday. The date was shifted twice earlier-- on January 4 and January 8 for the same reason.

Court sources said the two are now in police remand in Dhaka.

The STT yesterday ordered for sending another letter to the IG Prison in Dhaka so that the two accused can be produced before the court on January 19, court sources said.

Principal accused in the case --Iftikhar Hasan Al Mamun alias Mamun Ali alias Shihab and another accused Sultanwere produced before the court at 12:20 yesterday.

Unlike on previous occasions, they were not wearing any bulletproof vest yesterday.

Senior Assistant Judges Jagannath Pande Sohel Ahmed were killed as JMB activists exploded two bombs in their mircobus on the premises of their official quarter in Jhalakathi on November 14 last year.

Six persons were chargesheeted in the two casesone under the Explosives Act and the other for homicide -- filed by Sultan Ahmed, driver of the microbus with Jhalakati Sadar thana.

The rest two are JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman and JMJB chief Siddikur Rahman Banglabhai, both yet to be arrested.