Judge Mohammad Golam Murshed of the Additional District Judge and Bankruptcy Court recorded statement of Sub-Inspector Zehad Hossain and another prosecution witness Abdul Mannan and fixed June 23 for next hearing of the case.

The accused are Mohammad Rafiqul Islam alias Sentu, 22, Mohammad Wahab, 26, Yaqub Ali, 21, Anwar Hossain, 23, Faruq Hossain alias Kosai Faruq, 25, Mohammad Wahiduzzaman alias Pintu, 20, Abdus Salam, 22, and Nurul Islam, 23. Of them, Sentu is now in custody while the others are still on the loose.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Iqbal Hossain, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet on December 27 last year against the accused to a first class magistrate's court in the city, showing 25 people as prosecution witnesses.

On February 20, 2005, Dhamrai police arrested Sentu, Wahab, Yaqub, Anwar, Faruq and Salam with nine bomb making manuals and other contraband materials on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway.

Dhamrai police showed the six men arrested under Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code and produced them before a first class magistrate's court in Dhaka on February 22, 2005 with a prayer for a seven-day remand to interrogate them. The court granted a two-day remand.

Thirteen days into their arrest, the arrestees were released on bail.

Probing the case, Dhamrai police found the activities of the accused seditious.

With approval from the home ministry, SI Zehad Hossain filed the sedition case against the accused on September 11 last year.

Sentu was re-arrested in November while the others have been fugitive.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Anwarul Kabir Babul appeared for the state while Advocate Akbar Hossain defended the accused Sentu.