Dhaka: Another murder case has been filed against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who resigned and fled the country amid widespread protests over a controversial job quota system. The case was filed against Hasina and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader in Bogura over the death of a 35-year-old teacher from Shibganj Upazila.
This is the latest in a string of criminal cases filed against Hasina, 76, whose Awami League government was ousted by student protests raging since mid-July. At least 99 other local leaders and activists of her party were also sued in the case over Selim Hossain's murder after he joined the students' protests in the Bogura Satmatha area.
On August 4, the day before Hasina resigned and fled the country in the face of a student-led mass uprising, Hossain joined students' protest in Bogura's Satmatha area. The complaint against Hasina and others alleged that Awami League leaders and activists attacked the protesters and hacked Hossain to death with sharp weapons. Hossain's brother alleged that he was killed on the orders of Hasina and Quader.
Other cases filed against Hasina
On Tuesday, the deposed PM was slapped with a murder case along with six others over the death of a grocery shop worker amid the unrest. The case was filed by a well-wisher of the grocery store owner Abu Sayed, who was killed on July 19 in police firing during a procession in support of the quota reform movement in Mohammadpur, according to Dhaka Tribune.
On the very next day, a case of enforced disappearance was filed against her and several former members of her cabinet on Wednesday, on charges of kidnapping a lawyer in 2015. Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Sohel Rana alleged he was detained and tortured by electric shocks to his ears and genitals.
It is important to mention here that over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, taking the death toll to 560 since the protests against the controversial quota system began in July.
Bangladesh Crimes Tribunal to begin probe
Bangladesh's interim government, led by Nobel laureate and economist Muhammad Yunus, said it would move the International Crimes Tribunal to take action against those involved in killings during the recent mass student protests against Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government.
"The interim government has taken preparations to investigate these incidents under the supervision of the United Nations (UN). The murders conducted within the period from July 1 to August 5 will be tried by the International Crimes Tribunal," Bangladesh's newly-appointed Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.
A team of UN experts will visit Bangladesh next week to investigate the killings of the protesters ahead of and in the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as the prime minister last week, it was announced on Thursday. The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh is a domestic court that deals with the issues of international crimes like war crimes and crimes against humanity.
(with PTI inputs)
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