Court orders newspaper notice summoning Sheikh Hasina, 255 others

A Dhaka court has ordered a public notice to be published in newspapers, summoning former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 255 others to appear before it in connection with a sedition case filed for allegedly taking part in anti-state activities and plotting to overthrow the interim government during a Zoom meeting of the "Joy Bangla Brigade."

Today (14 October), the case was scheduled for the submission of a police report on the arrest status of the accused at the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana. As police reported that the accused could not be arrested, the court instructed that a notice be published in newspapers asking the absconding accused to appear before the court. The next hearing of the case has been set for 11 November.

Md Salahuddin, bench assistant of the concerned court, confirmed the information. He added that since the accused were found to be involved in the incident, the CID filed a petition to show 24 people as arrested in the case. The court approved their shown arrest today. Defence lawyers applied for bail, which was opposed by the prosecution. The court rejected the bail petitions and sent them to jail.

The 24 accused shown arrested include former MP Sabina Akter Tuhin, Md Ibrahim Khalil Bipul, Md Abdus Sabur, Mst Sanowara Khatun, Mehedi Hasan Akash, AKM Akteruzzaman, KM Rashed, Mst Merina Khatun Meri, Sushanta Bhowmik, Nizam Bari, Jahangir Alam, Sheikh Anichuzzaman Anich, Md Akramul Alam, Md Nurun Nabi Mondol Dulal Masters, Md Saiful Islam Sardar, Kazi Abul Kalam, Mst Fency, KM Shah Newaz alias Shiblu, Rafiqul Islam, Jinnat Sultana Jhuma, Mehedi Hasan Ishan, and Oni Chandra Sutradhar.

According to case documents, CID Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Enamul Haque filed the sedition case against 73 people, including Sheikh Hasina, on 27 March. After investigation, he submitted a charge sheet on 30 July naming 286 accused, including the former prime minister. The court accepted the charge sheet on 14 August and issued arrest warrants against the accused. Later, on 11 September, the court also imposed a travel ban on them.

The case statement alleges that on 19 December 2024, Sheikh Hasina and several hundred party leaders and activists joined a Zoom meeting of the "Joy Bangla Brigade," led by Dr Rabbi Alam, vice-president of the Awami League's US chapter. During the meeting, Sheikh Hasina allegedly made anti-state remarks and instructed her followers to overthrow the current interim government headed by Dr Muhammad Yunus. The speech reportedly spread widely on social media across the country.