Bangladesh The exiled former Prime Minister of Sheikh Hasina has called for an investigation into the deaths of hundreds of students during protests that toppled his government earlier this month.
In a statement posted on her son Sajib Wajid’s X account, Sheikh Hasina demanded a thorough investigation to identify and bring to justice those responsible for these ‘heinous acts of murder and sabotage’.
The former prime minister herself is facing an investigation by the interim government into the death of a man shot by police during a protest.
After fleeing to India on August 5, Sheikh Hasina said for the first time in her statement that ‘Students, teachers, police officers including pregnant women, journalists, cultural workers, workers, leaders, workers of Awami League and its affiliated organizations, walking. Others working in various institutions were victims of terrorist attacks and lost their lives. I express my heartfelt sorrow and pray for the peace of their souls.’
She added: ‘I want justice from the people of this nation.’
In her statement, Sheikh Hasina recalled the killing of her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh, and 15 other family members on August 15, 1975, during a military coup.
He urged the public to observe August 15 as a national mourning day even though the interim government has canceled the public holiday on that day.
About 500 people have been killed in violent protests that began in late June to demand the rollback of controversial job quotas but soon turned into protests against Sheikh Hasina’s government. The protest culminated in the dismissal of Hasina and subsequently the country’s Chief Justice.
During this movement to topple Sheikh Hasina’s government, law and order in the country was also damaged and the police and security personnel, who cracked down on the street protesters during the protests, are now nowhere to be seen.
After Sheikh Hasina escaped on a helicopter, protesters stormed her residence in Dhaka, vandalizing and setting fire to the memorial museum of her father and the country’s founder.
Expressing regret in her statement, Sheikh Hasina said that the father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, under whose leadership we gained respect as an independent nation, was greatly humiliated.
According to the former prime minister: ‘They (the protesters) have insulted the blood of lakhs of martyrs and destroyed the country.’
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Sheikh Hasina has broken her silence as police under the new interim government launched an investigation into the murder of a shopkeeper named Abu Saeed, who was shot dead on July 19. The case was filed by Amir Hamza, a businessman who claimed that Abu Saeed’s family lacked the power to seek justice.
Amir Hamza told Reuters: ‘I am the first civilian who has the courage to take this legal action against Sheikh Hasina for her crimes. I would like to see the case decided.’
Amir Hamza petitioned the Dhaka court for an inquiry into Abu Saeed’s murder and sought the indictment of Sheikh Hasina along with former interior minister Asad-ul-Zaman Khan, Awami League general secretary Abdul Qadir and top police officials.
In response, the court ordered the Muhammadpur police station to initiate an investigation and report to it.
Sheikh Hasina ruled Bangladesh for 15 years and faces accusations of violating fundamental rights, suppressing dissent and freedom of expression, and ignoring corruption.
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2024-08-15 06:44:08
