Hearing for Sheikh Hasina, 285 others in sedition case set for October 15
Ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Collected photo
The court has postponed the hearing on framing charges against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 285 others in a sedition case and set October 15 for the next hearing.
Acting Judge Mosaddeq Minhaj of the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court in Dhaka set the new date on Wednesday. Gholam Nabi, bench assistant of the concerned court, confirmed the matter.
The hearing on framing charges was scheduled for Wednesday. Seventeen accused who are in jail were produced before the court for the hearing. Of them, 13 were men and four were women.
However, the hearing could not be held as there was no judge at the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court in Dhaka. The court later set a new date for the hearing on framing charges.
Earlier, on March 27 last year, CID Assistant Superintendent of Police Md. Enamul Haque filed the case with the court against Sheikh Hasina and 73 others on charges of sedition.
After completing the investigation, he submitted a charge sheet on July 30 of the same year against Sheikh Hasina and 285 others.
The court accepted the charge sheet on August 14 and issued arrest warrants against the accused. On September 11, the court imposed a ban on the accused leaving the country. On October 14, the court ordered a newspaper notice asking 256 fugitives to appear before the court.
As the case became ready for trial, it was transferred from the Dhaka CMM Court to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court on November 11. A partial hearing on framing charges was held at the Special Judge Court 9 in Dhaka on January 21.
Later, the case was transferred from the stage of hearing on framing charges to the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court in Dhaka for speedy disposal.
The case statement said that on December 19, 2024, several hundred leaders and activists including Sheikh Hasina took part in a Zoom meeting of the "Joy Bangla Brigade" led by Dr. Rabbi Alam, vice president of the US Awami League.
During the meeting, Sheikh Hasina made anti state remarks to her leaders and activists. She instructed them to oust Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the former chief of the interim government.
The remarks spread across the country through social media.
