The High Court (HC) Death Reference Bench on Shazneen murder case completed analysing the statements of 18 out of 22 prosecution witnesses as it continued passing the judgment in the sensational case on the second day yesterday.

According to court sources, the bench is likely to complete delivering the verdict and make its decision about the appeal of the

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convicts against the lower court's death penalty when it resumes the proceedings on Monday.

The bench comprising justices Ali Asgar Khan and Emdadul Haque yesterday analysed the statements of 15 prosecution witnesses given at the lower court during the trial.

The witnesses are Shahzreh Haq Shehzi, Arshadul Haq, Iqbal Hossain, Atiqur Rahman Masum, Anisuzzaman, Mahabubur Rahman, Ahmed Shafi Chowdhury, Hosain Akhter Chowdhury, Sufia Begum, Moslem Hawlader, Metropolitan Magistrate Narayan Chandra Das, Shamsul Haq, Abdul Gani, Dr Belayet Hossain Khan and Faridul Islam.

Of them, Shazneen's sister Shehzi and brother-in-law Arshadul, her uncle Atiqur, investigation officer of the case Shamsul Haq and domestic helps Sufia and Moslem had provided significant information on the heinous murderin their statements.

On Wednesday, the court analysed the first information report (FIR) and the statements of three other prosecution witnesses--Assistant Superintendent of Police (Criminal Investigation Department) Mojibur Rahman, also the complainant and investigation officer of the case filed under Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, Shazneen's father Latifur Rahman and elder sister Simeen Hossain.

Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, daughter of renowned businessman Latifur Rahman and a class IX student of Scholastica, was raped and killed at her Gulshan residence on April 23, 1998.

The Second Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression, Dhaka awarded death sentence on September 2, 2003 to all the six accused for raping and killing of Shazneen.

The convicts are domestic help Shahidul Islam Shahid, Syed Sajjad Mainuddin Hasan, a contractor for repairing work at Shazneen's house, his assistant Badal, mason Shaniram Mondol and housemaids Estema

Khatun Minu and Parvin.

The convicts, who are now behind the bars, later appealed with the HC against the judgment and the death reference bench heard the submission of both the prosecution and the defence during a 31-workday hearing that ended on June 27.

The court fixed July 4 for delivering the judgment. But the bench could not begin delivering the verdict on that day because of hartal.

Deputy Attorney General ABM Waliur Rahman Khan, assistant attorney generals Zinat Akhtar Nazli Begum and Mohammad Nazmul Haq were present for the prosecution yesterday.

Shazneen's father Latifur Rahman and relatives of the convicts were present in the court yesterday.