The trial in 2016 terror attack on the upscale Dhaka eatery has begun on Monday (Dec 3) with the Dhaka Anti-Terrorism Tribunal starting to hear the testimony of the plaintiff, Sub-Inspector Ripon Kumar Das of the Gulshan police.

“The attackers shouted Allah Akbar before opening fire and eventually killing 20 people, including two police officers. It aimed tarnish the country’s image,” Das told the court during his deposition.

Court adjourned recording of testimonies for Tuesday (Nov 3), court clerk Hafizur Rahman told Bangla Tribune.

After indicting eight suspects in the case, the anti-terror tribunal, on Nov 26 fixed Dec 3 for recording the statements of witnesses in the case.

On Aug 8, the tribunal accepted charge sheet in the case.

It also dropped the name of Abul Hasanat Rezaul Karim as no evidence was found against the former North South University teacher.

On Jul 23, the investigation officer of the case Inspector Humayun Kabir of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit submitted the charge sheet with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court

The charge sheet dropped names of 13 more accused as they were killed during law enforcers’ drives at different places on different dates.

Armed militants stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan area in Dhaka and killed 20 hostages - mostly foreign nationals, on Jul 1, 2016.