In relation to the police death of a man amid civil unrest last month, a court in Bangladesh started a murder probe on Tuesday against former premier Sheikh Hasina and six other senior officials in her government.
A week ago, Hasina, 76, abruptly left her tight-lipped government as demonstrators poured into the streets of Dhaka and escaped by chopper to neighbouring India.
“Sheikh Hasina and six others are the targets of a lawsuit,” said Mamun Mia, an attorney representing an individual client.
He also said that, in accordance with Bangladeshi law, police must accept “the murder case against the accused persons,” as directed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Court.
Asaduzzaman Khan, Hasina’s former home minister, and Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of Hasina’s Awami League party, were also mentioned in Mia’s court petition.
It also listed four high-ranking police officials, including former police inspector general Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who were appointed by Hasina’s administration but have subsequently left their positions.
In addition, prominent Dhaka Metropolitan Police officials Habibur Rahman and Biplob Kumar Sarker were nominated, as well as Detective Branch Chief Harun-or-Rashid.
