A Dhaka court has framed charges against eight militants in connection with the 2016 terror attack on Holey Artisan Bakery.
Judge Md Mujibur Rahman of the Dhaka Anti-Terrorism Tribunal read out the charges against them on Monday.
The court also fixed December 3 as the day for recording testimonies of the witnesses.
Armed militants stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan area in Dhaka and killed 20 hostages – mostly foreign nationals – on July 1, 2016.
Police submitted charge sheet against eight militants involved with the attack on July 23.
A total of 21 members of militant outfit New JMB, a faction of banned militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), were found to have been involved in the planning and execution of the deadliest militant attack in the country’s history, according to the charge sheet.
Five of these suspects were killed during the counter operation in the attack, while the other eight died during subsequent anti-militant drives across the country.
Among the remaining New JMB members, six are behind bars and have given their confessional statements admitting their involvement.
They are: Jahangir Alam alias Rajib alias Gandhi, Rashed alias Rash, Sohel Mahfuz alias Hatkata Mahfuz, Rakibul Islam Reagan, Mizanur Rahman alias Boro Mizan, and Hadisur Rahman Sagor.
Of the 21 identified militants, five are said to have directly taken part in the Gulshan attack, while the rest were allegedly active in coordinating plans for the attack, combat training, and supplying money, arms and explosives.