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Of them, Hadisur Rahman Sagar, Mamunur Rashid Ripon, Abdul Gaffar, and Jahangir Hossain are now in jail, while Golam Sarwar Rahat went into hiding after securing bail.

Since the political changeover on August 5 last year, eight arrestees -- Ajmir Amit, Tariqul Islam Mithu, Abu Raihan, Abdullah Al Tasnim, Syed Ziaul Islam, Al Amin, Zahidul Islam, and Rafiqul Islam Rubel -- have also been granted bail at different times.

The previous Investigation Officer SM Mizanur Rahman, an inspector of the CTTC, told The Daily Star on September 24 that the case dockets would be handed over to the CID within a few days.

The handover took place in early October.

Contacted recently, the current IO HM Rezwanul Islam of CID said they had just received the case documents. “Further steps will be taken after talking to higher officials,” he said.

Mohammad Zakir Hossain, a defence lawyer for two of the arrestees, said, “My clients were arrested as suspects. They have consistently maintained their innocence and claimed to have no knowledge of the incident. Yet, year after year, they continue to suffer, though they are on bail now. This case needs a conclusion.”

Supreme Court lawyer Ishrat Hasan said, “The non-submission of probe reports for years creates serious legal disadvantages. It frustrates the constitutional guarantee of a speedy and fair trial, often leading to prolonged or arbitrary detention of the accused, as well as denying victims timely justice.”

“Repeated adjournments due to the absence of reports amount to an abuse of process. Such delays not only weaken the evidentiary value of the case but also erode public confidence in the criminal justice system,” she added.