Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Faces Murder Charges in Bangladesh Court

Dhaka:

A judiciary in Bangladesh commenced a homicide inquiry into deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and six prominent figures in her government Tuesday regarding the police slaying of an individual during civil unrest last month.

Hasina, 76, escaped by helicopter to neighboring India a week ago, where she remains, as demonstrators inundated the streets of Dhaka in a dramatic conclusion to her authoritarian rule.

Over 450 individuals lost their lives during the period of unrest leading up to her removal.

“A lawsuit has been filed against Sheikh Hasina and six others,” stated Mamun Mia, a legal representative who lodged the complaint on behalf of a private citizen.

He also mentioned that the Dhaka Metropolitan Court had directed law enforcement to acknowledge “the homicide case against the accused individuals”, the initial step in a legal investigation under Bangladeshi legislation.

Mia’s submission to the court also identified Hasina’s former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Obaidul Quader, the secretary general of Hasina’s Awami League party.

It likewise lists four senior police officials appointed by Hasina’s administration who have since resigned from their positions.

The lawsuit holds the seven accountable for the demise of a grocer who was fatally shot on July 19 by police while suppressing protests violently.

The Daily Star newspaper reported that the lawsuit was filed on behalf of Amir Hamza Shatil, a resident of the area where the shooting occurred and a supporter of the victim.

– ‘We do not dispute this’ –

Hasina’s government was accused of widespread violations of human rights, including the extrajudicial killing of thousands of her political adversaries.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus returned from Europe three days after Hasina’s removal to lead an interim administration facing the immense task of guiding democratic reforms.

The 84-year-old received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his innovative efforts in microfinance, and is recognized for aiding millions of Bangladeshis in overcoming severe poverty.

He assumed the role of “chief adviser” to a temporary administration — all civilians except for interior minister Sakhawat Hossain, a retired brigadier general — and has expressed his desire to conduct elections “within a few months”.

Hossain stated on Monday that the government had no plans to outlaw Hasina’s Awami League, which played a crucial role in the nation’s struggle for independence.

“The party has made numerous contributions to Bangladesh — we do not dispute this,” he informed journalists on Monday.

“When elections are held, (they should) participate in the electoral process.”

AFP has reached out to the interim administration for a statement.