DHAKA: A fresh murder case was brought against former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 62 other people, including former cabinet ministers, over the killing of a fish trader amid the recent quota reform protests.
Filed late on Sunday, the case adds to a growing list of legal actions taken against the 76-year-old leader.
Read more: Bangladesh’s ex-PM Hasina in India: A dilemma for New Delhi
The daughter of the country’s founder fled to India on August 5 following massive student protests against the government’s quota system.
The case was initiated by the widow of a fish trader who was shot dead on July 21 while on his way home from a fish market, according to the Dhaka Tribune.
The accused list includes Hasina, former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, ex-lawmaker Shamim Osman, and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan.
Allegations suggest that members of Hasina’s Awami League, armed with weapons, disrupted traffic on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to hinder the student demonstrations.
The complaint alleges that Hasina, Quader, and Asaduzzaman orchestrated the violence against students and civilians.
The late fish trader was reportedly struck by gunfire in the chest while returning from the market. He collapsed on the road and was declared dead later at a local hospital.
Read more: Bangladesh ex-premier Sheikh Hasina facing murder charge
With this new case, the total number of legal actions against Hasina has exceeded twelve. The violence after her government’s fall resulted in over 230 deaths, raising the overall toll since the start of the student protests in mid-July to more than 600.
In the wake of Hasina’s departure, an interim government was formed with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus appointed as Chief Adviser.