Bangladesh: A new legal case has been filed against Sheikh Hasina, the ousted former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and 86 of her associates. The case, filed on Wednesday, accuses Hasina and her aides of attacking a peaceful procession in Sylhet city on August 4, which resulted in several injuries from gunfire. This brings the total number of cases against Hasina to 33.
Juber Ahmed, the acting president of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal's Sylhet city unit, lodged the complaint with Sylhet Metropolitan Magistrate Suman Bhuiya's court. The accused also include Hasina's sister, Sheikh Rehana.
The lawsuit alleges that the attack targeted a rally organized by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its affiliates in Sylhet City's Bandarbazar area. This event, meant to be peaceful, ended with multiple participants injured by gunfire, as reported.
Among those named in the case are several prominent figures: former General Secretary of the Awami League and ex-Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, ex-Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, former Law Minister Anisur Rahman, and former Prime Minister's advisor Salman F Rahman.
This latest case adds to Hasina's mounting legal troubles. She now faces 33 cases in total, including 27 for murder, four for crimes against humanity and genocide, and one for abduction.
After resigning from her post on August 5 amid massive anti-government protests, Hasina fled to India. An interim government has since taken charge, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus appointed as Chief Adviser.
The interim administration has announced plans to prosecute those responsible for violence during the student-led protests in the International Crimes Tribunal. The protests, which began in mid-July over a contentious quota system for government jobs, have led to over 600 deaths nationwide, with more than 230 fatalities reported during the recent unrest.
Additionally, on Tuesday, Hasina and five others were implicated in a case related to the murder of private company employee Firoj Talukder. This incident involved indiscriminate shooting from a helicopter by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) during the student protests.
Previously, Hasina, her son Sajeeb, daughter Saima, and sister Rehana, along with 17 others, were accused in a case concerning the death of a fruit seller in Jatrabari on August 5. Another case involved the death of a student, Md Omar Faruque, and a garment worker, Sohel Rana, among other victims.
Legal actions against Hasina extend to various incidents across the country, including cases in Savar, Narayanganj, Rangpur, Joypurhat, and Bogura, reflecting widespread discontent and the scale of violence following the fall of her government.
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