Warrants issued against Sheikh Hasina, Quader, Kamal and 170 others

A court has accepted the charge sheet in the murder case of college student Mahbubul Hasan Masum, 25, who was killed during the anti-discrimination student movement in Mahipal area of Feni, and issued arrest warrants against 170 absconding accused, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The accused also include Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Feni-2 MP Nizam Uddin Hazari and former Feni-3 MP Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury.

The order was passed by senior judicial magistrate Mohammad Hasan of Feni court on Wednesday, January 14.

According to court and police sources, on August 4, 2024, college student Mahbubul Hasan Masum was shot in the head while participating in a non-cooperation programme under a one-point demand during a student-public movement in Mahipal. He later died on August 7 while undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

On September 4 that year, the victim’s brother Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan filed a murder case with Feni Model Police Station, naming 162 accused and identifying another 400 to 500 as unknown.

At a press conference held at his office on July 31 last year, then superintendent of police Md Habibur Rahman said a charge sheet would be submitted in the case.

Investigating officer and Feni Model Police Station sub-inspector Alamgir Hossain said 12 named accused and 39 suspects were arrested in the case. Among them, three accused including Murad Hasan Babu gave confessional statements under Section 164. A total of 221 people were accused, including 156 named and 65 unidentified individuals.

Plaintiff’s lawyer Mezbah Uddin Bhuiyan said the court had issued arrest warrants against 170 absconding accused in the Masum murder case. Four of the accused are minors and will be tried in juvenile court.

The plaintiff and victim’s brother Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan said he demanded exemplary punishment for his brother’s killers and called for bringing the accused to justice swiftly. He said Masum was shot in the head by Awami League attackers in Mahipal on August 4, 2024, and after three days in ICU, he died.

It may be noted that a total of 24 cases have been filed so far with Feni Model Police Station over the violence in Mahipal on August 4, including seven murder cases and 17 cases related to attempted murder and violence.