Student protests: Hasina faces five more cases over killings

Five more murder cases were filed yesterday against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, several members of her cabinet and top police officials.

Three of the cases were filed in Dhaka and one in Narsingdi over deaths during the recent student-led uprising, while in Bogura, the killing took place in 2018.

The former PM now faces at least 49 cases, including 40 on murder charges, seven for alleged crimes against humanity and genocide, one on allegation of abduction and one over an attack on a BNP procession.

Hasina and 46 others were sued by Advocate Hannan Bhuiyan over the killing of a street vendor named Shahabul Islam Shaon during the protests in Dhaka's Ashulia on August 4, a day before her resignation and flight to India. Dhaka Senior Judicial Magistrate Arifa Chowdhury Himel ordered Ashulia police to register it as a first information report (FIR).

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, ex-home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former AL MPs Md Saiful Islam and Talukdar Mohammad Towhid Jung Murad, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were among the accused.

Uttara West resident Zakiullah Bahar, 56, filed another case against Hasina and 32 others over the death of 12th grader Abdullah Bin Jahid in the Airport area on August 5. Metropolitan Magistrate Mainul Islam ordered the Airport Police Station chief to register it as an FIR.

The third case in the capital was filed by Mohammadpur resident Rabiul Khan Hillol against Hasina and 67 others over the killing of Shahriar Hossain Rokon, 23, on July 19. Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury ordered Mohammadpur Police Station to investigate the case.

The case in Narsingdi was filed against Hasina, Quader, Asaduzzaman, Mamun and 78 others over the killing of businessman Azizul Islam during the student-led movement on July 19.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court directed the local police chief to register it as an FIR after recording the statement of the plaintiff and victim's father Almach Mia.

Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul and 76 others were sued over the abduction and killing of a union-level BNP leader named Shah Alam Sujan in Bogura's Shibganj upazila in 2018.

Advocate Abdul Wahab, also the general secretary of upazila unit BNP, filed the case with a Bogura court which directed local police to investigate it.

The other accused include Hasina's former press secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan, Ekattor TV Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief Mozammel Babu, its former principal correspondent Farzana Rupa, and ex-IGP Benazir Ahmed.