By Sumi Khan

Dhaka, Nov 14 (IANS): Sajeeb Wazed Joy, ICT affairs adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Sunday, appeared before a Dhaka court to testify on how a "plot was hatched to kidnap and kill him".

In his testimony submitted before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Nur, Joy sought exemplary punishment to five "fugitive" accused who had "plotted to abduct and kill him", Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu told IANS.

Arrest warrants were earlier sent to addresses of all the five accused.

On August 3, 2015, the Detective Branch of the police filed the case with Paltan Police Station in connection with the "plot to kill Joy after abduction". The court recorded the depositions of 10, out of 15, witnesses.

On February 19, 2018, police submitted charge sheet against five accused - Shafik Rehman; Mahmudur Rahman, acting editor of Bangla daily Amar Desh; Mohammad Ullah Mamun, vice-president of Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas); and his son Rizvi Ahmed Caesar; and Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, an expat businessman living in the US, for their involvement in plotting to kidnap and kill Joy.

Earlier, the same court recorded statements of nine prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.

Due to security reasons, only four advocates, including the Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor, were allowed to stay inside the courtroom during the trial proceeding on Sunday.