United News of Bangladesh

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Tuesday said that out of 1,760 cases filed over last year’s anti-discrimination movement, charge sheets have so far been submitted in only 55 cases, while the remaining cases are still under investigation. The IGP disclosed the information at a press briefing held at the police headquarters. He said police, under section 173-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), have already recommended relief for 136 people found primarily innocent, and courts have granted them exemption from the charges. Applications for another 236 individuals are currently under consideration. Of the total cases, 766 are murder cases and 974 fall under other sections. Among the 55 cases where charge sheets have been filed, 18 are murder cases indicting 1,941 accused, while the remaining 37 cases involve 2,185 accused. The IGP said the charge sheets in the 18 murder cases were submitted in Dhaka, Chattogram, Sherpur, Feni, Chandpur, Noakhali, Pabna, Kurigram, Bogura and Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) areas. The other 37 charge-sheeted cases are from Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Sirajganj, Naogaon, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Narsingdi and Barguna districts. Govt okays procurement of 40,000 body cameras for police use during polls He added that senior officers are supervising the investigations, while also mentoring junior officers who are not yet fully capable of handling complex probes on their own. On allegations of false cases and harassment, the IGP acknowledged that in some instances innocent people were wrongfully accused. “The government has introduced a legal provision to provide relief to such individuals even before charge sheets are filed.” He assured that police headquarters is taking measures to ensure no innocent person faces harassment, and warned that action would be taken against any officer found involved in malpractice. The IGP also urged those who consider themselves innocent to apply under section 173-A so their cases can be reviewed and forwarded to the court for exemption.

Hasnat Abdullah, coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Student movement, has said that Awami League is secretly plotting rehabilitation to regain political power, following recent events and statements. In a video message posted on his verified Facebook page on Monday afternoon, Hasnat alleged that the AL was maneuvering to restore its hold on the country, despite the recent political upheavals. ‘Only the signboard of the syndicate has changed’: Hasnat Abdullah He referred to a statement by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, where the president said that no resignation letter had been submitted by Sheikh Hasina before fleeing the country. Hasnat interpreted this as a sign that the Awami League was strategizing a comeback under the guise of political rehabilitation. "We have seen Chhatra League's recent activities at Chittagong University, where they appear to be laying the groundwork for rehabilitation," added Hasnat. "In Dhaka, various factions of the Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League are attempting to regroup. When you connect these incidents, it becomes evident that they are trying to revive the fascist structure." He also expressed concerns about administrative and judicial efforts being made to aid the party's rehabilitation, claiming that "attempts are underway to restore the Awami League through institutional mechanisms." To counter this, the coordinator emphasized the need for national unity, calling on citizens to join forces to resist the party’s resurgence. Referring to past political alliances, he said, "Before August 5, we were all united against the tyranny of Awami League. We stood together as the oppressed, fighting against the oppressor." He lamented that individual interests had caused divisions after August 5, creating an opening for the Awami League to plot its return. Hasnat urged people to stay united, rise above political affiliations, and resist the party's rehabilitation efforts. "We must maintain our presence on the streets and ensure the Awami League is uprooted from the soil of Bangladesh," he said, calling for a permanent ban on the Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League. In response to President Shahabuddin's comments, Hasnat posted on Facebook, claiming, "Hasina has been ousted; the people have overthrown an illegal government through an uprising. There is no question of a resignation letter here."