A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against seven people, including BNP leader MA Qaiyum and his brother Abdul Matin, in a case filed over Italian national Cesare Tavella murder in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone last year.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Kamrul Hossain Molla indicted the seven accused rejecting discharge petitions of five of them.
The court also fixed November 24 for starting the trial of the sensational murder case.
The other five indicted are Tamjid Ahmed Rubel alias Shooter Ruble, Russell Chowdhury alias Chhaki Russel, Minhajul Arefin, Sohel alias Bhangari Sohel, and Shakhawat Hossain Sharif.
During the charge framing hearing, Abdul Matin and four others, who are now in jail, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the court read out the charges against them. BNP leader Qaiyum and Sohel are on the run.
On June 28, DB Inspector Golam Rabbani, who is investigating the case, submitted the charge sheet against the seven to the Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate.
According to investigators, Dhaka city BNP’s Joint Convener MA Qaiyum had planned the murder as part of a conspiracy to create anarchy in the country, put pressure on the government and send a message to foreigners that they were not safe in Bangladesh.
Investigators claim that Qayum’s brother Abdul Matin coordinated the murder. He also hired three killers to kill a “white man” and Tavella became their prey.
Cesare Tavella, an aid worker and veterinary surgeon, was shot dead at Gulshan 2 in the city’s diplomatic zone on September 28, 2015.
He had been living alone in Dhaka and worked on food security issues for a Netherlands-based organisation.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
