Following the coup on August 5 in Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina stepping down from her prime ministerial position and fleeing the country, her troubles seem to be multiplying. While she fights to preserve her political career, more and more cases are piling up against her.
Since August 5, over 75 cases have been filed against Sheikh Hasina in these 24 days. The allegations range from minor incidents to serious accusations such as kidnapping and murder.
Reports suggest that three more new cases have recently been registered against 76-year-old Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka Court. Earlier, a murder case was filed against her in Bogura. She faces 63 murder cases alone, in addition to seven accusations of crimes against humanity and genocide, along with several kidnapping charges.
Who was Sheikh Hasina accused of murdering?
On July 19, a case was filed against Sheikh Hasina in Banashree, Dhaka, during a protest over the quota system for the murder of a grocery store owner. Cases were also filed against 30 other individuals.
In fact, the deceased's father lodged a murder case in the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Toffazal Hussain, after which the court ordered Kilkhet police station to file an FIR. The court also directed the officer in charge of that police station to file an FIR against Sheikh Hasina and 26 others for the murder of a 14-year-old child.
A third case was registered against Sheikh Hasina and 50 others on July 18, during a student reservation protest, related to the attempted murder of a lawyer from the Dhaka Bar Association. Another murder case was filed against her in Bogura, connected to a shooting on August 4.
How did the protests start in Bangladesh?
In Bangladesh, families of those who participated in the freedom struggle against Pakistan had enjoyed reservations in government jobs. Intense protests erupted against this quota. Sheikh Hasina tried to suppress the protests using both strategy and force, but both attempts failed. Eventually, she accepted all the protestors' demands, but they remained adamant on her resignation.
On August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position as Prime Minister and fled to India. Subsequently, widespread violence broke out in Bangladesh. Many police stations were attacked and set on fire, resulting in numerous casualties. Following the outbreak of violence, an interim government was formed in Bangladesh under the leadership of Mohammad Yunus.
