Sylhet: The Speedy Trial Tribunal, Sylhet, on Sunday deferred the charge framing of the former finance minister SAMS Kibria murder case until 6 July.

District and Sessions Judge Manir Ahmed Patwari, in-charge of the tribunal, passed the order on Sunday morning.

Twenty accused in the case, among 22, including former Habiganj municipality mayor Golam Kibrai Gaus and Mufti Hannan, were present in the court.

Earlier, the Kibria murder case had been transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal from Habiganj Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court on 11 June for its quick disposal.

District and Sessions Judge Atab Ullah passed the order to transfer the case.

Earlier, Judge of Habiganj Chief Judicial Magistrate Court 1 Nishat Sultana passed an order to transfer the case to the District and Sessions Judge’s Court on 2 June.

Five people, including Kibria, were killed and 70 others injured in a grenade attack on a public meeting of local Awami League at Baidder Bazar in Sadar upazila on 27 January, 2005.

Awami League leader Abdul Mazid Khan filed two cases—one for murder and another under the Explosives Substances Act—with the Habiganj Police Station the following day.

Assistant Superintendent of CID Munshi Atique submitted a charge sheet against 10 BNP leaders and activists on 19 March, 2005.

On 20 June, 2011, CID Senior Assistant Superintendent Rafiqul Islam submitted a supplementary charge sheet incorporating the names of 14 more people, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Mufti Hannan, following a no confidence petition filed by the plaintiff.

Upon an appeal by the complainant, the High Court on 5 May, 2006 stayed the proceedings of the cases. Following another appeal by the complainant, the tribunal on 14 May, 2006 ordered further investigation into the cases.

After further probe, Rafiqul submitted the first supplementary charge-sheet.

However, Asma Kibria, wife of the slain minister, filed a petition with a local court expressing no-confidence in the investigation. The court then forwarded the case documents along with the petition to the tribunal concerned.

Later, the tribunal on 5 January, 2012 ordered the CID to carry out further probe into the killing.