Is Awami League's Solaiman Selim Facing Justice Over Murder Charges?

Dhaka, Aug 11 (NationPress) A Bangladeshi court has ordered the remand of Awami League leader and former MP Solaiman Selim for three days in relation to an alleged murder case stemming from the protests in July of last year, as reported by local media outlets.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate GM Farhan Istiak made the ruling following a request from the investigation officer, who sought a seven-day remand for further questioning.

During the proceedings, the judge remanded the former lawmaker, who represented the Dhaka-7 constituency, due to his alleged involvement in the murder of Khalid Hasan Saifullah, a first-year student at Ideal College in Dhaka, according to the prominent Bangladeshi newspaper, Jugantor.

Reports indicate that on July 18, 2024, Saifullah was fatally shot in the Azimpur Government Residential Area of Lalbagh amidst violent student protests.

On August 19, his father, Kamrul Hasan, lodged a murder complaint at the Lalbagh Police Station, naming 52 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Selim was initially apprehended on the night of November 13 last year from a residence in Gulshan by Chawkbazar police.

Subsequently, on November 27, the court sanctioned a seven-day remand for him in two distinct cases regarding the murders of both Rakib Hawlader and Khaled Hasan Saifullah during the protests.

Earlier this year, in March, the court again remanded Selim for three days in connection with the alleged killing of madrasa student Shahenur Rahman amidst the same unrest.

This situation highlights the growing number of legal actions against Awami League leaders and their associates, which they claim are being orchestrated by the Muhammad Yunus administration to undermine Hasina's party.

The Awami League has previously expressed concerns regarding the collapse of the judicial system in Bangladesh, citing a surge in what they term as “fake cases” since the downfall of Hasina’s democratically elected government.

The party has accused the interim government’s Chief Advisor, Muhammad Yunus, of being “silently complicit” as opposition leaders, journalists, and ordinary citizens face legal harassment.

Analysts view these developments as a significant political vendetta conducted by Yunus's interim government, with numerous cases filed against the former Prime Minister and her supporters on trivial grounds shortly after her ousting in August 2024.

The abrupt departure of Hasina last August was globally perceived as a grave setback to the country's democratic framework. The interim government has also drawn significant criticism for harboring radical and extremist Islamic groups.