The Detective Branch (DB) of police yesterday pressed charges against former Awami League (AL) lawmaker Dr HBM Iqbal and 23 others in connection with the Malibagh killings on February 13, 2001.

Investigation officer (IO) of the case and DB Inspector Farid Uddin submitted the 'supplementary charge sheet' to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM's) Court, Dhaka.

Of the accused, Iqbal and six more are now on bail, granted by the High Court. Eight are in jail custody, eight others are absconding and one has become an 'approver' in the case.

Meanwhile, the metropolitan magistrate conducting the case expressed his surprise and resentment over reports of some national dailies yesterday that charge sheet in the case was submitted to the

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CMM's Court and the court recorded it.

Officials at the General Recording Office (GRO) of the CMM's Court also expressed deep concern over the reports.

Besides Iqbal, the chargesheeted are Kiran, Dulal alias Laundry Dulal, Abdul Halim, Khorshed Alam alias Ashrafuzzaman, Pichchi Hannan alias Chhoto Hannan, Imdadul Haque alias Bachchu, Moniruzzaman, Liakot Hossain, Mohammad Monir Hossain, Tareq Shamsul Khan alias Himu, Shawkat Hossain alias Nannu, Kamrul Hasan alias Hannan, Kabiruddin Ahmed, SM Arman, Nurunnabi Chowdhury alias Shaon, Abul Bashar, Kamrul Morshed Khan alias Khoka, Golam Mostafa alias Haji Rahmat Ali, Jasim Uddin, GM Ziaul Haque alias Shamim Gazi, Babul alias Kala Babul, Munshi Kamruzzaman alias Kajal and Abdus Salam.

Pichchi Hannan and seven others are absconding, eight are now in jail custody and one accused, Abdul Halim, has become an 'approver' in

the case.

The IO prayed for issuance of warrant of arrest against the absconders and attachment of their moveable property.

In the charge sheet, 79 people were shown as prosecution witnesses.

In the case, filed with the Motijheel Police Station on February 13, 2001, it was alleged that four persons including a policeman were killed and four others were bullet-it when activists of the then ruling AL opened fire on an opposition procession during hartal on the day in the city's Malibagh area. The hartal was called by the four-party opposition alliance demanding immediate resignation of the AL government.

The case was filed accusing more than 150 people including Iqbal.

The then IO of the case had submitted a charge sheet against five persons - - Picchi Hannan and four others -- on July 12, 2001.

When the four-party alliance came to power, the home ministry ordered further investigation into the case.