Bangladesh: A murder case has been filed against ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and six others over the death of grocery shop owner Abu Sayeed in police firing in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area on July 19, Daily Star reported on Tuesday. Hasina’s former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader have also been booked.
The case has also named former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former DB chief Harun Or Rashid, former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, and former DMP joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarker.
Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country for over 15 years, had to flee the country last week following intense protests led by students. The protests that began in early July were initially peaceful but soon turned violent as Islamist forces reportedly infiltrated. Following this, the police had to resort to force, leading to the deaths of hundreds of protesters.
The interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge as chief advisor (equal to prime minister) on August 8. This is the first case against Hasina under the Yunus government.
The case against Hasina came after Amir Hamza Shatil, a resident of Mohammadpur, filed the case with the Court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate. In his complaint, Shatil mentioned that Abu Sayeed was killed 19 when police were shooting indiscriminately at students and common people during the quota protests.
The Police fired on citizens at the directive of the IGP and Home Minister. The complainant was not close to the victim, but being a Bangladeshi citizen, he filed the case voluntarily, the report said.