Judge M Hasan Imam shifted yesterday's charge framing date, as some important documents and evidence were not available from the case' previous court, Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court.

Up to seven assailants shot Rabbani on city's Muradpur Road on April 11. He was going to KEPZ site with five colleagues in a microbus.

Rabbani, also former Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) chairman, was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital and to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka the same day. He went into a coma the next day and remained unconscious until he died at Bamroongrad Hospital in Bangkok on April 24.

Police pressed charges on June 29, accusing seven including Engineer Abu Naser Chowdhury, former general manager of the KEPZ, and Humayun Kabir, former security officer.

Of the accused, three including Naser and Humayun went into hiding and the rest are behind bars.

The charge sheet has showed 45 people including six policemen as prosecution witnesses.