Murder Case Filed Against Bangladesh Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina and Top Officials Over Protest-Related Death

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 the protests that initially focused on the quota movement and later demanded Hasina’s resignation. The case marks the first legal action taken against Hasina following her resignation and flight to India amid widespread unrest over her Awami League-led government’s controversial job quota system.

The lawsuit was filed by an accquaintance of Abu Sayed, the grocery shop owner who was killed on July 19 during police firing at a demonstration in Mohammadpur, which was in support of the quota reform movement. According to media reports, the other individuals named in the case include Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun. Additionally, several unnamed senior police and government officials are also accused.

In the wake of Hasina's departure, an interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate has been established. Last week, Yunus announced the formation of his 16-member advisory council. On Monday, representatives from seven political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), met with Yunus to discuss the current political situation. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that the interim government has been given the necessary time to create a favorable environment for free and fair elections. The BNP has expressed support for the interim government’s activities and has requested the withdrawal of cases against its leaders, including party chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

Recent protests in Bangladesh, initially sparked by controversy over a job quota system, escalated into widespread unrest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The demonstrations, fueled by public frustration over alleged apathy of the Hasina government over the deaths of student protestors during the anti-quota movement intensified as clashes between protesters and police resulted in significant violence. The turmoil reached a peak with the resignation of Hasina, who fled the country, marking the collapse of her Awami League-led government amidst the crisis.