Hasina, 62 Others Charged in Two Jatrabari Cases

Police have submitted charge sheets against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 62 others in two cases filed over the killing and attempted killing of participants in the anti-discrimination student movement in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area during July and August 2024.

One case concerns murder, while the other involves an attempted murder.

In the attempted murder case, investigation officer Sub-Inspector Ibrahim Khalil submitted a charge sheet against 30 people, including Sheikh Hasina, to the court on July 27.

Other accused in the case include former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former food minister Advocate Qamrul Islam, former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Dhaka Detective Branch chief Harun-or-Rashid, former DMP joint commissioner Biplab Kumar Sarker and former Chhatra League president Saddam Hossain.

Three accused, including Qamrul Islam and Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, are currently in jail. As the remaining accused are absconding, the investigation officer has sought arrest warrants against them.

Sub-Inspector Mohin Uddin of the Jatrabari police prosecution department said the court is scheduled to hear the charge-sheet acceptance matter on September 19.

According to the case statement, students Mehedi Hasan Pranto and Nadim of Tolaram College joined the anti-discrimination movement near the Rayarbagh bus stand in Jatrabari on July 19, 2024. Protesters were allegedly attacked and shot during the incident.

A bullet entered Pranto’s chin and exited through the back of his head. Nadim sustained a gunshot wound to his left knee, with the bullet passing through.

Pranto was taken to Salman Hospital and Diagnostic Limited in Jatrabari, where doctors declared him dead. Nadim recovered after receiving treatment.

Identifying himself as Pranto’s uncle, Nadim filed the attempted murder case against Sheikh Hasina and 93 others with Jatrabari Police Station on October 6, 2024.

In the other case, investigation officer Sub-Inspector Mahmudul Hasan Irfan submitted a charge sheet against 33 people, including Sheikh Hasina, on August 13 in connection with the murder of mason Mohammad Babul Mridha.

Other accused include Obaidul Quader, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former law minister Anisul Huq, former information minister Hasan Mahmud, former state minister Mohammad Ali Arafat, former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, former Jatrabari lawmaker Kazi Monirul Islam Monu, former Patuakhali-3 lawmaker SM Shahzada, former Pirojpur-2 lawmaker Mahiuuddin Maharaj, former Barishal-4 lawmaker Pankaj Debnath, former Barishal City Corporation mayor Sadik Abdullah, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and Habibur Rahman.

The court is scheduled to hear the charge-sheet acceptance matter in the murder case on September 14.

According to the case documents, Babul Mridha left his home on July 19, 2024, to look for his son Abu Taleb, who had joined the movement in the Dania and Lucky Community Centre areas of Jatrabari. He was shot when he reached the Lucky Community Centre area.

Local residents rescued him and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. After receiving treatment there for nearly a month, he was transferred to BGB Hospital. He was later moved to the Combined Military Hospital on August 22.

Babul Mridha died while undergoing treatment at the CMH on September 9, 2024, 52 days after he was shot.

His wife, Sima Begum, filed the murder case with Jatrabari Police Station on November 19, 2024. Three accused, including Kazi Monirul Islam Monu and Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, are currently in jail, while eight others are on bail. The remaining accused are absconding.