Staff Reporter :
A new murder case has been filed against 135 individuals, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with the killing of Jatiotabadi Sramik Dal activist Riajul Talukder.
The incident occurred during a recent protest in the capital’s Jatrabari area, organized in support of the anti-discrimination student movement.
The list of accused includes several prominent figures from the ruling Awami League government, such as Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Awami League leaders Moshiur Rahman Mollah Sajal, Enamul Haque Shamim, Iqbal Hossain Opu, and MP Nahim Razzaq. Additionally, 350-400 unidentified individuals were named as accused in the case.
The case was filed by Rubel Talukder, brother of the deceased, in Dhaka’s Metropolitan Magistrate Court. Magistrate Saddam Hossain, after recording the complainant’s statement, directed Jatrabari Police Station to register the case as a First Information Report (FIR).
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on August 4, when hundreds of students and civilians gathered in front of Jatrabari Police Station to hold a procession in support of the anti-discrimination student movement. As the protest intensified around 5 pm, violence allegedly erupted following direct orders from Sheikh Hasina.
The complaint further states that ruling party “goons” and police personnel opened fire indiscriminately on the protestors. Riajul Talukder, a member of the BNP-affiliated Sramik Dal, was reportedly shot in the ensuing violence. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Riajul’s brother, Rubel, took legal action, claiming that the attack was part of a coordinated effort to suppress the student-led movement. The complainant holds Sheikh Hasina and her associates directly responsible for the violence. The court’s decision to treat the case as an FIR brings added scrutiny on the political climate in the country, which has already been marked by growing tensions between opposition activists and the government.