A Dhaka court has set December 14 for the submission of a further investigation report into the killing of Md Sifat Hossain, 26, during the July uprising in Mirpur-10.
The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) was scheduled to submit the report on Tuesday (November 10) but did not. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam then fixed the new date, said Rafiqul Islam, a sub-inspector of the prosecution department.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 25 others are accused in the case. They include former ministers Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun and former Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman.
Sifat’s father, Kamal Howlader, filed the murder case against Hasina and 21 others on August 15, 2024. Police submitted a charge sheet against 26 people on May 28.
On September 1, Howlader challenged the investigation report. He alleged that investigators had favored the accused, failed to properly examine the allegations and did not visit the crime scene. He also objected to the dropping of Ziaul Haque Zia and Mehedi Hasan from the case.
After a hearing on October 5, the court ordered the PBI to conduct a further investigation.
According to the case statement, police opened fire on protesters taking part in the quota reform movement in front of MS Power in Senpara, Mirpur-10, on July 20, 2024. Sifat was crossing the road to reach safety when he was shot and killed.
