After hearing a petition filed by Farazi Azmal Hossain, a High Court bench comprising Justice Abdur Rashid and Justice Fazlur Rahman also issued a rule upon the government to show cause why the charge framed by the trial court on June 15, 2005 against the petitioner should not be cancelled.

Shamsur Rahman, Jessore correspondent of the daily Janakantha, was killed in 2000 by unidentified assailants. The case is now pending with a speedy trial tribunal.

A supplementary charge-sheet was framed against 17 accused, including Farazi Azmal Hossain, a reporter of the daily Ittefaq.

Advocate Mahbubey Alam moved for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General ABM Waliur Rahman stood for the state.