BSS, Khulna:Trial of Journalist Manik Chandra Saha murder case is yet to be completed despite extended investigation.Manik Saha, the then Khulna correspondent of New Age and BBC was bombed to death on January 15, 2004, at Mirjapore road, a few yards from Khulna Press Club in the City.Khulna Press Club (KPC), Khulna Union of Journalists (KUJ) and CPB will observe the 11 th death anniversary of Manik Saha with due solemnity through different programmes today. Two cases were filed with Khulna Police Station following the assassination of Manik Saha.Police pressed charge sheet before the CMM court, Khulna, in a case filed under Explosive Substances Act on March 19 in 2004 naming ten people as accused and the following day police submitted another charge sheet to the court in murder case naming five persons as accused.Later, on December 2 in 2007, DB police pressed supplementary charge sheet by order of the court including one more name as accused.Pradip Saha, the younger brother of Manik said, the case is still under trial.”The court has, so far, recorded statements of 41 prosecution witnesses pertaining to murder of Manik Saha,” he said adding that trial of the case had not yet been completed although 10 years passed out after the murder.Public Prosecutor Advocate Sultana Rahman Shilpi said that trial is being delayed due to absence of Magistrate Dewan Abdus Samad who is a very important prosecution witness of Manik Saha murder case.”The magistrate is not appearing before the court for deposition despite several summons, she said adding that the case is now under trial in the court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge Sayedur Rahman. The court has so far recorded statements of 41 out of 47 prosecution witnesses.
