Hasina sued in six more murder, mass killing cases

Six more cases have been filed against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, several of her cabinet colleagues, Awami League leaders and senior police officers on charges of murder and mass killings in Dhaka and other parts of the country.

Five of the murder cases are related to deaths during the student-led nationwide uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August.

In the sixth case, Hasina and 33 others were accused of “mass killing” in connection with the attack on a Hefazat-e-Islam rally in Motijheel on 5 May 2013.

In Dhaka’s Lalbagh, a murder case was filed today against Hasina, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, and 89 others.

The case was brought by Kamrul Hasan, father of Khalid Hasan Saifullah, a student killed during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.

The accused include former law minister Anisul Huq, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former information state minister Arafat A Rahman.

According to the case, Khalid Saifullah, a student of Ideal School and College, was fatally shot on 18 July when law enforcement officers fired indiscriminately at protesters with support from the accused.

His body was identified at the hospital on 20 July.

The plaintiff alleged that the police officer in charge had been evasive, fuelling student agitation. The case was formally accepted in the presence of senior army officials around 2am.

In Rangpur, a murder case was filed against Hasina and 40 others for killing Abdullah Abu Tahir, a student of the eighth semester at the Institute of Glass and Ceramics in Dhaka, during the student movement in the Rangpur city market area on 19 July.

Victim’s father Abdur Rahman filed the case with Rangpur Metropolitan Judicial Magistrate Court today.

The panel lawyer for the case, Tarekuzzaman said, “Tahir was shot on orders from former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. That’s why we requested the court to record a case naming her and 40 other people, including Obaidul Quader.”

He added, “The court has accepted our plea and asked the Kotwali police station to accept charges.”

Obaidul Quader, Asaduzzaman Khan, former ministers Hasan Mahmud and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Rangpur Range DIG of Police Abdul Baten (sent on compulsory retirement), and Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Moniruzzaman (sent on compulsory retirement), are the other accused in the case.

Another murder case was filed in Rangpur against former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun and 16 others for the shooting death of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayed during the quota reform movement.

The case, filed by the victim’s elder brother Ramjan Ali, includes Rangpur ex-DIG Baten, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Moniruzzaman, and several other police officials, as well as university Chhatra League President Pomel Barua and others.

Separately, on the same day, a murder case was filed with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court over the death of fruit seller Merazul Islam Meraj, who was shot by police during an anti-discrimination protest on 19 July.

The case filed by his mother Ambia Khatun names 21 people, including Additional Commissioner Utpal Kumar Roy and Assistant Commissioner Imran Hossain.

In Narayanganj, a murder case was filed on Saturday night against the deposed Sheikh Hasina and 47 others.

The case was filed by Abul Bashar Anik, brother of Abul Hasan Swajan, who was shot on 5 August in Chashara and died the next day.

The complaint, filed with the Sadar Model Police Station, names 48 individuals and includes 150-200 unnamed people.

The accused include Obaidul Quader, Hasan Mahmud, Asaduzzaman Khan, former ICT state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former MPs Shamim Osman and Selim Osman, Shamim Osman’s son Ayan Osman, and Narayanganj City Corporation Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy’s brother Ali Reza Ujjwal.

According to the case, Ayan Osman shot Swajan under the direction of Shamim and Selim Osman. Swajan died on 6 August while receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

In Natore, a case has been filed against Hasina, former Natore-2 MP Shafiqul Islam Shimul, and 109 others for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of student Yasin Islam during the student movement. The case was filed by Yasin’s father, Fazer Ali, with the Natore Sadar Police Station.

Accused in the case include Sadar Upazila Chairman Shariful Islam Ramzan, Sadar Municipality Mayor Uma Chowdhury Jolly, and district Awami League President Sirajul Islam.

The complaint alleges that Yasin was abducted from the Madrasa intersection on 4 August, beaten, and held captive at Shimul’s residence, which was later set on fire. Yasin’s body was found among the charred remains.

In Joypurhat, Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader, and 126 others have been sued for the killing of Nazibul Sorkar Bishal, a student at Panchbibi Business Management Institute.

According to the case, Nazibul was shot by law enforcement on 4 August during the non-cooperation movement.

Nazibul’s father Majidul Sorkar filed the case at the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, which directed the Officer-in-Charge of Joypurhat Sadar police station to register it as an FIR.

The accused include a former whip, two former Joypurhat MPs, and top district Awami League leaders.

In Shapla Chattar, Sheikh Hasina and 33 others were accused of “mass killing” in a case filed over the attack on a Hefazat-e-Islam rally in Motijheel on 5 May 2013. 

Babul Sardar Chakari, chairman of the Bangladesh People’s Party, filed the case today at the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Zaki-Al Farabi. 

The court recorded the plaintiff’s statement and ordered the officer-in-charge of Motijheel police station to take up the case, Babul Sardar told TBS. 

On 5 May 2013, Hefazat-e-Islam called for a gathering in Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar. They later declared their intent to remain there. 

The law enforcers conducted a nighttime operation to disperse them.

Hefazat claims that many were killed in the operation that night. 

According to a report from human rights organisation Odhikar, 61 people died that day. 

Following the publication of the report, Adilur Rahman Khan, the secretary of Odhikar, was sentenced to two years in prison by a cyber tribunal. 

Adilur Rahman Khan is currently an adviser to the interim government.

Meanwhile, complaint has been filed with Tejgaon Police Station against 113 individuals, including Hasina, over an alleged attack on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s convoy in 2015.

The first information report was filed on Sunday by Belal Hossain, general secretary of BNP’s Ward 26 in north Dhaka.

The incident occurred during the Dhaka City Corporation election campaign in 2015 when Khaleda Zia’s convoy was reportedly attacked in the Karwan Bazar area of the capital.

Our district correspondents have contributed to the story.