A murder investigation has been launched against Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following the police killing of a man during civil unrest last month.
Six other high-ranking officials from her previous government are also under investigation after weeks of deadly clashes in Dhaka.
Mamun Mia, a lawyer representing a private citizen, stated that the Dhaka court had ordered the police to accept the “murder case against the accused persons,” marking the initial phase of a criminal investigation under Bangladeshi law.
Sheikh Hasina stepped down and fled to New Delhi, India earlier this month after political turmoil destabilized her government.
Over 400 people were killed during student protests against Hasina, many of whom were allegedly shot by police under her orders.
The murder case was filed by businessman Amir Hamza in July, following the fatal shooting of local grocer Abu Saeed during the unrest.
Hamza, who is not related to Saeed, told the court that on July 19, students were peacefully protesting when police indiscriminately fired on the crowd.
He said he took legal action because Saeed’s family could not afford to do so. “I am the first ordinary citizen who showed the courage to take this legal step against Sheikh Hasina for her crimes. I will see the case to an end,” he told Reuters.
Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury instructed the police to investigate, making this the first case brought against Hasina since the protests began.
Among those under investigation is Obaidul Quader, the former Transport and Bridges Minister.
Hasina’s administration, which had been in power for 15 years, faced accusations of widespread human rights abuses and rampant corruption.
The recent student protests, which began in early July as peaceful demands to abolish civil service job quotas, quickly evolved into a larger movement to overthrow the government.
Hasina responded by urging the police to take strong action against the protesters, whom she described as “not students but terrorists who are out to destabilize the nation.”
The newly formed government, which includes many of the protestors, is led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Meanwhile, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, has indicated that she will return to Bangladesh once elections are announced.
Source-BBC
