The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has recommended the discharge of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 111 others from an attempted murder case filed over the injury of Sahed Ali during the July movement in the Dhanmondi-27 area of the capital. A final report in this regard has recently been submitted to the court.
Sub-Inspector Abu Bashar of the prosecution department said the next hearing of the case has been scheduled for February 3.
According to case details, Sahed Ali was injured on August 4, 2024, at Dhanmondi-27 while returning home after work from the Shimanto Square area. At that time, nine people, including several students from Dhaka College and City College, were reportedly injured. Following the incident, a case was filed at Dhanmondi Police Station by Sharif, who claimed to be Sahed’s brother, naming Sheikh Hasina and 112 others as accused. During the initial investigation, police arrested four individuals: Shakil Hossain Imran, Kamrul Hasan alias Kamu, Maruf Hossain, and Masud Rana Bepari.
Subsequently, the investigation was handed over to the PBI. After probing the case, PBI Inspector Shahjahan Bhuiyan failed to trace any of the injured persons mentioned in the case. Citing factual inconsistencies, the investigation report recommended the discharge of Sheikh Hasina and all 113 accused.
Other notable accused named in the case include Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former Information State Minister Mohammad Arafat, former MP Shamim Osman, Ferdous Ahmed, and banned Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan.
Inspector Shahjahan Bhuiyan, the investigating officer, said a government gazette had been published listing those injured during the July movement, but none of the names mentioned in this case appeared there. “Due to factual errors, we have submitted a report seeking discharge of the accused for now. If information about the injured persons emerges later, a charge sheet may be submitted accordingly,” he said.
The investigation report further noted that the accused included former prime ministers, ministers, former MPs, commissioners, Awami League-affiliated cadres, financiers, supporters, and leaders of the party and its affiliated organizations. Notices were sent to the complainant’s rented residence in Hazaribagh to collect information related to the case, but the landlord said no one named Sharif lived there. Verification of national ID records revealed the complainant’s name as Shariful Islam, son of Sirajul Islam of Mandari area in Lakshmipur Sadar. However, locals there said they did not know him.
The complainant’s mobile phone was found switched off, while his WhatsApp account was intermittently active. The investigating officer eventually contacted him via WhatsApp, and after several days, Sharif met the officer near Dhanmondi Lake. The officer requested him to produce the victim and submit medical documents, but despite a long wait, he failed to do so. No medical information was mentioned in the FIR either.
On January 23, the investigating officer asked Sharif via WhatsApp to be present at the scene the next day along with the injured persons and witnesses, but none appeared. Despite repeated efforts, the investigator could not locate Sahed Ali.
The officer also stated that although the FIR mentioned injuries to several Dhaka College and City College students, their identities could not be verified due to the lack of adequate information such as full names, addresses, or class rolls. Searches at nearby hospitals yielded no records of treatment for the named individuals.
The investigation failed to trace any of the injured persons named in the FIR, including Sahed Ali, Rashed, Jewel, Mahmud, Nahid, Russel, Miraj, Jannatul Ferdous Naima, Ayesha Akter, and Sammi Akter. As no medical records or treatment details could be found and there was no likelihood of obtaining such information, the PBI recommended the discharge of Sheikh Hasina and the other 112 accused from the case.
