Troubles don’t seem to end for Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. A new murder case has been registered against her on Sunday in connection with the deaths of two college students who were killed during the anti-quota protests. This latest charge is an add on to the already long list of legal actions against the 76-year-old former leader, who fled to India on August 5 amid the widespread student protests against a contentious quota system for government jobs.
The case, lodged with Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Torikul Islam, has been filed against Hasina and twelve over killings of Ikram Hossain Kawser from Kobi Nazrul Government College and Omar Faruk from Shaheed Suhrawardi College. Both students were shot by police and Awami League supporters while protesting in front of their respective colleges on July 19.
With this new case, the total number of legal actions against Hasina now stands at twelve, including nine murder charges, one for abduction, and two for crimes against humanity and genocide in Bangladesh. Since the outbreak of violence following the collapse of Hasina’s government, over 230 people have died, pushing the total number of fatalities to more than 600 since the protests began in mid-July.
The accused in the new case also include prominent figures such as Obaidul Quader, Awami League General Secretary and former minister; Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation; Asaduzzaman Khan, former home minister; Hasan Mahmud, former foreign minister; and Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury Nowfel, former education minister. Other notable individuals named are Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for ICT; Syed Nurul Islam, Deputy Inspector General of Dhaka Range; Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former IGP; Harunor Rashid, former DB chief; Biplob Kumar Sarkar, Additional Joint Commissioner; and Habibur Rahman, DMP Commissioner.
Additionally, 200-250 unnamed individuals, including leaders and activists from the Awami League and its affiliated organizations, are implicated in the case. Following the collapse of Hasina’s regime, an interim government has been established, with 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus appointed as Chief Adviser.
(With PTI Inputs)