14 actors, actresses accused in attempt to murder case

Fourteen artists, including actress Meher Afroz Shaon and actors Riaz, Chanchal Chowdhury, and Mamunur Rashid, have been named as accused in an attempt to murder case involving a student of the Government Alia Madrasa in the capital, Saifuddin Mohammad Emdad.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Monirul Islam accepted the complaint and instructed Shahbagh Police Station to register it as a formal case on Wednesday (April 30).

Other artists named in the case include actresses Aruna Biswas, Jyotika Jyoti, Shamima Tusti, Shomi Kaiser, Saju Khadem, Ashna Habib Bhabna, Sohana Saba, Rokeya Prachy, and actors Zayed Khan and Ferdous.

In this case, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been named as the prime accused, with a total of 201 individuals listed.

The list of accused also includes 15 journalists, including Kalbela editor Santosh Sharma and ATN News journalist Munni Saha.

Additionally, 13 educators have been named, including Zafar Iqbal, former Vice-Chancellor of Jagannath University Mizanur Rahman, and Muntassir Mamoon. Imran H Sarker and Laki Akter have also been made accused in this case.

On March 20, former Chhatra Dal leader MA Hashem Raju filed a petition as the plaintiff in this case with the court on behalf of the students.

His lawyer ABM Jobayer said that the court recorded the plaintiff's statement that day. He ordered the police station OC to submit a report on whether there was any other case in Shahbagh police station regarding this incident.

The lawyer said the police submitted a report stating that there was no case in Shahbagh police station. Then the court order came.

According to the complaint, during the Anti-discrimination Student MNovement, a procession led by M A Hashem Raju reached the intersection in front of Hotel InterContinental from the Central Shaheed Minar around 11:30am on August 4. At that point, leaders and activists from Chhatra League, Jubo League, and various levels of the Awami League obstructed the procession. The accused allegedly attacked the students and the public with the intent to kill by firing bullets and throwing hand bombs, petrol bombs, and cocktails. The police reportedly tried to disperse the procession using tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets. As a result, the plaintiff’s right eye was injured. When he fell on the road, unidentified members of the Chhatra League, Jubo League, and police allegedly beat him.