Violence that erupted across Bangladesh after the fall of the Hasina government resulted in the deaths of over 230 people.
A murder case has been filed against Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and six others in connection with the death of a grocery store owner during last month’s violent protests that led to her government’s collapse.
This marks the first case against Hasina, 76, since her resignation and subsequent flight to India last week amidst widespread demonstrations against her Awami League-led administration, which had been criticized for a controversial job quota system.
The case was initiated by a supporter of Abu Sayed, the grocery store owner who was killed on July 19 when police opened fire during a demonstration in Mohammadpur advocating for quota reform, according to the Dhaka Tribune.
The accused include Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, among others. Several unnamed high-ranking police and government officials are also implicated.
The violence that erupted across Bangladesh following Hasina’s resignation on August 5 has resulted in over 230 deaths, bringing the total death toll to 560 since the anti-quota protests began in mid-July.
An interim government was established following Hasina’s departure, with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate aged 84, announcing his 16-member advisory council last week.
On Monday, seven political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), met with Yunus and agreed to allow the interim government the time needed to create a conducive environment for free and fair elections. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that while the BNP supported the interim government’s efforts, no specific timeline for the elections was discussed.
The BNP has called for the withdrawal of cases against its leaders, including party chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Zia, 79, had been sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption in 2018 but was released following Hasina’s ouster.
