Sifat murder case: Court orders further PBI probe against Hasina, 25 others
The court ordered a further investigation after Sifat’s father challenged the chargesheet, alleging the probe was not properly conducted and was biased in favour of the accused
A Dhaka court has ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct a further investigation into a murder case filed over the killing of Md Sifat Hossain, 26, during the July Uprising in 2024, in which former prime minister Sheikh Hasina is among 26 accused.
Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam passed the order yesterday (5 October) following an application by the plaintiff, directing the PBI to submit its investigation report by 10 November.
Prosecution Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam confirmed the development to The Business Standard today (6 October).
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According to the case statement, on 20 July 2024, thousands of students and protesters were taking part in the quota reform movement in front of M.S. Power in Mirpur-10's Senpara area when police opened indiscriminate fire on the crowd.
Sifat was shot while crossing the road to reach safety. A bullet entered one side of his head and exited the other, killing him on the spot.
His father, Kamal Hawladar, filed the original case on 15 August 2024 before a Dhaka court, naming Sheikh Hasina and 21 others as accused.
The court recorded his statement and directed Mirpur Model Police Station to register it as a first information report.
Other accused in the case include former shipping minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former MPs Kamal Ahmed Majumdar, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil and Salauddin Mahmud (SM) Zahid, former Inspector General of Police Abdullah Al Mamun, former DB chief Harun Or Rashid, Additional Joint Commissioner Biplab Kumar and DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, among others.
On 28 May, Mirpur Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Mizanur Rahman submitted a chargesheet against 26 accused.
However, Sifat's father was dissatisfied with the chargesheet after it discharged two accused – Ziaul Haq Zia and Mehedi Hasan.
He later filed a no-confidence petition on 1 September, alleging that the investigating officer had submitted the chargesheet without visiting the scene or properly examining the facts of the case, and that the investigation was biased in favour of the accused.
The court fixed 5 October for a hearing on the no-confidence petition. At the hearing, it ordered the PBI to conduct a further investigation.
