Eight more murder cases filed against Hasina

Eight more cases, including three genocide cases with the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), were lodged against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina today.

At least 27 murder cases were filed against the ousted prime minister over the last several days. Of them, she was accused for genocide in seven cases.

For one of the genocide cases, an application was filed with the ICT's investigation agency in Dhaka's Dhanmondi on behalf of Md Zakir Hossain, the father of Faisal Ahmed Shanto, who was killed in the quota reform movement in Chattogram's Muradpur on 16 July, Muhammad Hujjatul Islam Khan, lawyer for the case, told TBS.

On 18 July, HSC student Sheikh Shahriar Bin Matin was killed during the quota reform movement at Mirpur. On behalf of his father, Md Abdul Matin, a separate application was filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Asad Uddin.

Additionally, a genocide and murder case was filed with the ICT's investigation agency by MA Razzak, the father of student Asif Iqbal, who was killed at Mirpur on 19 July, Md Asad Uddin, lawyer for the case, said. 

In the Chattogram's genocide case, the accused include Sheikh Hasina, former road transport and bridges minister and Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nawfel, former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, Chhatra League's central president Saddam Hossain, general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, Chattogram City Awami League president Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, general secretary AJM Nasir Uddin, former mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, former lawmaker Abu Reza Muhammad Nezam Uddin Nadvi, Awami League leaders Mohiuddin Bacchu, Motiherul Islam, Mofizur Rahman, ATM Payerul Islam and former IGP Choudhury Abdullah Al Mamun, among others, totalling 70 named individuals.

Additionally, there are between 1,000 to 1,200 unidentified individuals mentioned in the case.

In separate cases related to the deaths of two students at Mirpur, the accused include Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, 14-party alliance leader and Workers' Party President and former minister Rashed Khan Menon, JSD President and former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu, JP President and former minister Anwar Hossain Manju, among 52 named individuals. Additionally, 500 unidentified individuals were mentioned as defendants.

In the three separate cases, a petition was made to bring the Awami League and its affiliated organisations to justice for their alleged involvement in genocide.

Ataur Rahman, administrative officer of the ICT's investigation agency, told TBS that as of yesterday, seven cases were filed against Sheikh Hasina and others on charges of genocide. Investigators have already been appointed in four of these cases, and investigations have commenced. Investigations in the three cases filed yesterday will begin shortly, he said.

He said that there are currently six officers at the ICT's investigation agency who are conducting the investigations. The tribunal's judicial proceedings are currently suspended. Once the tribunal is reconstituted and operations resume, applications will be made for arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina and the other accused, Ataur said.

5 other murder cases

A case was filed accusing Sheikh Hasina, Nijhum Majumder, and Muntasir Mamun, among 49 others, for the killing of Mohammad Touhidul Haque, a university applicant, who was killed after sustained bullet hit at Dhaka's Tejgaon during the anti-discrimination movement on 4 August.

Tariqul Islam, the elder brother of the deceased, filed a case in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nurul Huda Chowdhury against 49 named individuals and 200-300 unidentified persons. The court accepted the plaintiff's statement and directed the Tejgaon police station to register the complaint as an official case.

A case was filed against Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader, and 34 others for the death of trainee technician Alem Al Faidi in Dhaka's Laxmibazar on 19 July.

Other accused individuals include Ibrahim Farazi, president of Jagannath University Chhatra League, SM Akhtar Hossain, general secretary of Jagannath University Chhatra League, Belayet Hossain Sagar, president of Kabi Nazrul College Chhatra League, Faruk Howlader, general secretary of Kabi Nazrul College Chhatra League, Rahat Mordal, president of Suhrawardy College Chhatra League and Ashikul Islam Ashik, general secretary of Suhrawardy College Chhatra League.

Samsul Arefin, a student from the Bengali Department of Jagannath University, filed the case in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Tariqul Islam. The court accepted the plaintiff's statement and directed the Surtapur police station to register the complaint as an official case.

A case was filed against Sheikh Hasina, former chief justice Khairul Haque, and three others for the shooting death of office assistant Firoz Talukdar allegedly from a RAB helicopter at Mirpur on 19 July.

The case was filed by the deceased's wife, Reshma Sultana, in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mehedi Hasan. The court accepted the plaintiff's statement and directed the officer-in-charge of the Mirpur model police station to record the case and commence an investigation.

A case was filed against Sheikh Hasina and 28 others for the shooting death of Russell Mia in Dhaka'[s Rampura on 19 July.

The complaint was filed by the deceased's wife, Sharmin Akhter, in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Afnan Sumi. The court accepted the plaintiff's statement and directed the Rampura police station to register the complaint as an official case.

A case was filed against Sheikh Hasina and 430 others with the Badda police station in Dhaka for the shooting death of Mohammad Suman Sikdar on Pragati Sarani. The complaint was filed by the deceased's mother, Mosammat Machuma.

Apart from Sheikh Hasina, other accused include Shamsuddin Manik, former Appellate Division judge, Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, chairman of Bashundhara Group, Syed Sobhan Anvir, managing director of Bashundhara Group and Mozammel Babu, managing director of 71 TV.