A Barguna court has set January 8 for starting trial of Rifat Sharif murder case after indicting 10 adults accused, including the slain man’s wife Ayesha Siddika Minni, in the sensational murder case. Md Asaduzzaman of Barguna District and Sessions Judge Court set the date yesterday in presence of Minni in the dock after framing the charges.

Rifat, 25, an internet service provider by profession, was hacked by some youths in front of Barguna Government College in broad daylight on June 26. Later that day, he died of his injuries at Barishal Medical College Hospital. A video of Minni's desperate attempts to save her husband went viral on social media. The victim’s father, Dulal Sharif, filed the murder case with Barguna Sadar Police Station on the same day.

On September 2, 2019 Investigation Officer (IO) Md Humayun Kabir, an inspector at Barguna Sadar police station, filed two charge sheets with the Barguna Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court in the Rifat Sharif murder case, accusing 24 people, including Minni.

The young man's wife Minni, initially named as a witness, was later arrested on July 16 as the case took a new turn after Dulal accused Minni of playing a role in the killing. Now she is one of the suspects inducted in the case. Of the 24 accused, 10 were adults and the rest were minors.

Ten adults accused are Rakibul Hasan alias Rifat Faraji (23), Al Kaiyum alias Rabbi Akan (21), Mohaiminul Islam Sifat (19), Rezwan Ali Khan Hridoy alias Tiktok Hridoy (22), Md Hasan (19), Md Musa (22), Ayesha Siddika Minni (19), Rafiul Islam Rabbi (20), Md Sagar (19) and Kamrul Hasan Saymun (21).

The law enforcers are yet to arrest Musa while one of the 14 adolescents with alleged links to the murder was freed on bail. Rifat’s wife Minni was also freed earlier on bail granted by the HC on conditions that she would remain in her father's custody and refrain from talking to the media.

Minors accused are Rashidul Hasan Rishan alias Rishan Faraji (17), Md Rakibul Hasan Rifat Hawlader (15), Abu Abdullah alias Raihan (16), Md Oliullah alias Oli (16), Joy Chandra Sarker alias Chandan (17), Md Naim (17), Md Tanvir Hossain (17), Md Nazmul Hasan (14), Md Rakibul Hasan Niamat (15), Md Saiyed Maruf Billah alias Mohibullah (17), Maruf Mallik (17), Prince Molla (15), Ratul Shikdar Joy (16) and Md Aryan Hossain Srabon (16).

Lawyer for the plaintiff Mujibul Haque Kislu had said previously, “Police submitted the charge-sheet in two parts, naming 10 people as adults in one and 14 others as adolescents in the other.” It was also informed that the adolescents accused in the case would be tried in a children’s court while the others would face trial in the regular court. At present, the 14 adolescents have been kept in a juvenile correction centre in Jashore.