Bangladesh Court Investigates Ex-PM Hasina Over Protest Death

A Bangladesh court has ordered an investigation into former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's role in the death of a grocery shop owner during student-led protests in Dhaka. The case, filed by Amir Hamza, accuses Hasina and other officials of being responsible for the police firing that led to the death. This is the first case against Hasina following the deadly uprising.

A Bangladesh court ordered an investigation on Tuesday into former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's role in the death of a grocery shop owner in Dhaka during last month's deadly student-led protests, according to the complainant's lawyer.

The case was filed by Amir Hamza against Hasina and six others and was accepted by Dhaka's chief metropolitan magistrate's court after a hearing. Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury ordered a police investigation. This is the first case filed against Hasina following a violent uprising that claimed around 300 lives, many of them students. Hasina fled to India and has been sheltering in New Delhi since early August.

The accused include Obaidul Quader, general secretary of Hasina's Awami League party, former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and senior police officials. Hamza alleged that grocer Abu Saeed was killed on July 19 by a bullet fired by police during student protests against government job quotas in Dhaka's Mohammadpur area. Hamza volunteered to take legal action as Saeed's family lacked the means to do so. He stated he was the first ordinary citizen to take such a step against Hasina.

Meanwhile, Nahid Islam, a student leader turned interim government official, called for Hasina to face trial for the killings during her tenure. The student-led protests initially targeted job quotas but escalated into efforts to oust Hasina. Her son indicated she plans to return to Bangladesh once elections are decided by the caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

(With inputs from agencies.)