Court orders further probe against Hasina, 25 others in Sifat killing case

A Dhaka court has ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct a further investigation into a case filed against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 25 others over the killing of Md Sifat Hossain during the July uprising.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam passed the order on Monday and directed the PBI to submit its report by 10 November.

Prosecution division Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam confirmed the matter on Tuesday and said the court passed the order following an application filed by the complainant.

According to the case statement, Sifat was shot dead on 20 July 2024, while crossing the road amid a quota reform protest in Mirpur-10. The bullet entered through one side of his head and exited through the other.

On 15 August 2024, Sifat’s father Kamal Howlader filed the case against Sheikh Hasina and 21 others with a Dhaka court. The court recorded his statement and directed Mirpur Model Police Station to treat the complaint as an FIR.

The accused in the case include former ministers Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former MPs Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil and Salauddin Mahmud (SM) Zahid, former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun and former DB chief Harun-or-Rashid, among others.

On 28 May, police submitted a charge sheet against Sheikh Hasina and 25 others, dropping accused Ziaul Haque Zia and Mehedi Hasan from the case.

Sifat’s father later filed a no-confidence petition, alleging that the investigation had been conducted without properly considering the allegations or visiting the scene.