5 more murder cases filed against deposed PM Sheikh Hasina, her aides in Bangladesh

Dhaka: At least five more murder cases were filed on Thursday against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her former cabinet members and top police officials, taking the number of cases against her to 49.

Of the five cases, three were filed in Dhaka while two cases were registered in Narsingdi and Bogura, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

Hasina, the 76-year-old Awami League chairperson, now faces at least 49 cases, including 40 for murders, seven for crimes against humanity and genocide, one for abduction and one for an attack on a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) procession.

Hasina and 46 others were sued for the killing of a street hawker during protests in Ashulia on August 4 in Dhaka.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former AL lawmakers Md Saiful Islam and Talukdar Mohammad Towhid Jung Murad and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were among the accused.

A resident of Uttara Paschim area filed another case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mainul Islam against Hasina and 32 others over the death of a 12-grader at the Airport area on August 5.

A resident of Mohammadpur filed a case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury against Hasina and 67 others over the killing of a 23-year-old youth in the city's Mohammadpur on July 19.

In Narsingdi, a murder case was filed against Hasina and 81 others over the killing of a businessman during the anti-discrimination student movement on July 19.

In Bogura, Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul and 76 others were sued in a case filed over the abduction and killing of a union level BNP leader in the district's Shibganj upazila in 2018.

Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 after unprecedented anti-government student-led protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

The Hasina-led government was replaced by an interim government, and 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was named its Chief Adviser.

Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government, taking the death toll to more than 600 since the massive protest by students against a controversial quota system in government jobs first started in mid-July.