Murder case filed against Shakib-Al-Hasan during Bangladesh unrest

PTI, Aug 23, 2024, 5:07 PM IST

Star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been named as one of the accused in connection with an alleged murder that took place during the recent protests and violence in Bangladesh which left hundreds dead.

The 37-year-old ex Bangladesh captain, a former lawmaker in the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime, was among 147 people against whom charges have been filed for an alleged murder during the protests in early August, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee the country with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus taking over as chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government.

The murder case was filed by Rafiqul Islam at Dhaka’s Adabor police station and apart from Shakib, PM Sheikh Hasina, and many former ministers and lawmakers from the party are among the accused.

Islam’s son Rubel was killed on August 7 during the protest which plunged the country in political turmoil.

Shakib, who is either the 27th or 28th accused in the first information report (FIR), was not in Bangladesh on August 5, or at any time during the protests.

The former skipper was playing for Bangla Tigers Mississauga at the Global T20 Canada league in Brampton from July 26 to August 9 and before that he was in the USA to take part in Major League Cricket until mid-July.

According to the ‘Daily Star’, the case statement mentions that “the complainant alleged that some of the accused as per instruction directly or indirectly from some others opened fire while hundreds of students including Rubel were protesting at Ring Road in Adabor area on August 5”.

Rubel was wounded in the firing and died in a hospital after two days, the FIR said.

Following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government, there have been significant changes at the Bangladesh Cricket Board too with former national captain Faruque Ahmed becoming the new president, following the resignation of incumbent Nazmul Hasan Papon on Wednesday.