Former PM Sheikh Hasina named in 3 more cases in Bangladesh

Dhaka: Former premier Sheikh Hasina has been named in three more cases filed in Bangladesh on Sunday for her alleged involvement in directing an attack on her arch-rival, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia in 2015, firing on a rally in Dhaka in 2013, and the killing of a student in Joipurhaat district on August 4.

With these three cases, the total number of complaints filed with authorities against Hasina since she stepped down on August 5 has gone up to 10. Hasina fled to India after a month-long student-led movement calling for the ouster of her government. The UN has said more than 600 people, including students, were killed during the protests.

BNP leader Bellal Hossain filed a case against Hasina and 113 others, alleging they were involved in the 2015 attack on BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s convoy. Another 500 to 700 unidentified assailants were also involved in the attack, according to the First Information Report (FIR) registered at Tejgaon police station in Dhaka.

The former prime minister was also named in a case filed over the death of 18-year-old college student Nazibul Sarkar in a protest by students at Joypurhat on August 4. The case was filed by the student’s father, Mazidul Sarkar, at the Joypurhat chief judicial magistrate’s court.

Besides Hasina, former road transport minister and Awami League leader Obaidul Quader and 128 others were named as accused in this case.

Bangladesh People’s Party president Mohammad Babul Sardar Chakhari filed a case in the Dhaka metropolitan magistrate’s court accusing Hasina and 33 others of involvement in firing on a rally organised by Hefajat-e Islam, an Islamist organisation, at Shapla Chattar in 2013. The complaint alleged the firing caused multiple fatalities.

Meanwhile, officials said on Sunday that a total of 44 police personnel were killed during recent protests and the violence that followed the ouster of Hasina’s government.