Dhaka: An application was filed with a court in Bangladesh on Sunday to register a case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 33 others, accusing them of carrying out a mass murder by indiscriminately firing on a rally organised in 2013 by Hefazat-e-Islam here. Babul Sardar Chakhari, chairman of the Bangladesh People's Party (BPP), applied to the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Zaki-Al-Farabi, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
The application accused them of the "mass murder" during the rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel on May 5, 2013. The court recorded the plaintiff's statement and said it would pass an order on the issue later.
With this, 76-year-old Hasina, who resigned from the premiership and fled to India on August 5 following a mass uprising, now faces 11 cases, including eight for murder, one for abduction, and two for committing crimes against humanity and genocide, in Bangladesh.
Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh
Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government, taking the death toll to more than 600 since the massive protest by students against a controversial quota system in government jobs first started in mid-July.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday started an investigation against the former premier and nine others on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity that took place from July 15 to August 5 during students' mass movement against her government. An interim government was formed after the fall of the Hasina-led regime, and 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as its Chief Adviser.
Yunus accuses Sheikh Hasina of destroying every institution in Bangladesh
Meanwhile, Yunus on Sunday accused Hasina of destroying every institution of the country in her efforts to stay in power as he promised to hold a free, fair and participatory election as soon as his government completes the "mandate" of carrying out "vital reforms." “In their efforts to stay in power, Sheikh Hasina's dictatorship destroyed every institution of the country. The judiciary was broken. Democratic rights were suppressed through a brutal decade-and-a-half long crackdown," United News of Bangladesh quoted Yunus as saying through his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.
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Notably, Bangladesh saw a spike in violence against members of Hindu communities following the fall of the Hasina-led government. Yunus said the interim government will hold a "free, fair participatory" election as soon as it completes the "mandate" to carry out "vital reforms." He said they have also made it a priority to ensure justice and accountability for all the killings and violence committed during the recent mass uprising.
He said they will uphold and promote all their international legal obligations, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
"Our government will adhere to all international, regional and bilateral instruments it is a party to. Bangladesh shall continue to remain an active proponent of multilateralism, with the UN at the core," Yunus said. "Our government will nurture friendly relations with all countries in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding and shared interests," he said. He called upon their trade and investment partners to maintain their trust in Bangladesh for economic prosperity.
(With inputs from agency)
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