Police have pressed formal charges against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 25 others over the fatal shooting of a man during the July Uprising in the capital's Gulshan, reports bdnews24.com.
The anti-terrorism unit of police submitted the charge sheet on February 18 in connection with the killing of 24-year-old Abuzar Sheikh. The matter came to light on Friday.
Prosecution Police SI Moktar Hossain said arrest warrants have been sought against 22 accused, including Hasina, as they are absconding.
Those named in the case include former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former textiles and jute minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat, former MP Mirza Azam and former justice Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik.
According to the case dossier, a procession of students and people was passing in front of the Baridhara General Hospital on Pragati Sarani on the evening of July 19, 2024, during the July movement, when local Awami League and Jubo League activists allegedly opened fire.
Abuzar was shot and initially taken to Evercare Hospital before being transferred to Dhaka Metropolitan Hospital.
He died on July 27 after eight days of treatment.
His mother, Chhobi Khatun, filed a murder case with Gulshan Police Station on November 16, 2024.
Meanwhile, a case has been lodged against Sheikh Hasina and 55 others, nearly 18 months after the incident, over allegations of opening fire on protesters during the anti-discrimination student and public movement in Habiganj.
Mahmudul Hasan, son of Yakub Ali of Amirkhani village in Baniyachung upazila, filed the petition with Habiganj Senior Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday.
The plaintiff identified himself as an activist of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).
Judge Abdul Mannan took the charges into cognizance and fixed March 9 as the date for passing a subsequent order regarding the next steps of the case.
According to the case statement, the incident occurred on July 24, 2024, near the Ashraf Jahan Complex in the city during the height of the anti- discrimination movement.
