A Dhaka court has set 15 October for the hearing on the framing of charges in a sedition case filed against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 285 others.
The hearing was scheduled for Wednesday at the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court in Dhaka. However, it could not be held as Judge Moin Uddin Chowdhury was absent.
Acting Judge Mosaddeq Minhaj later fixed 15 October for the hearing, said defence lawyer Morshed Alam Shaheen.
The case was filed over allegations of anti-state activities and a conspiracy to overthrow the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during a Zoom meeting of the “Joy Bangla Brigade”, which Hasina and several hundred Awami League leaders and activists allegedly attended.
Former Awami League reserved-seat MP Sabina Akter Tuhin, who has been arrested in the case, expressed anger while being taken to jail in a prison van after appearing before the court.
“If I am sentenced to death for being an Awami League member, we will still remain with the Awami League. How long will you keep us in jail? We are doing politics and working for the party, but we are not involved in any murder,” she said.
According to the case documents, CID Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Enamul Haque filed the case on 27 March last year against Hasina and 73 others on charges of sedition.
After an investigation, the investigating officer submitted a charge sheet on 30 July naming Hasina and 285 others.
The court accepted the charge sheet on 14 August and issued arrest warrants against the accused. On 11 September, it imposed a travel ban on the accused.
The court later ordered newspaper notices asking fugitive accused, including Hasina, to appear before it.
The case was initially being heard by the Special Judge-9 court in Dhaka for framing of charges. It was later transferred to the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court for speedy disposal.
The case documents allege that a Zoom meeting of the “Joy Bangla Brigade” was held on 19 December 2024, under the leadership of Rabbi Alam, vice-president of the US unit of the Awami League.
Hasina and several hundred party leaders and activists allegedly joined the meeting.
According to the allegations, Hasina made anti-state statements during the meeting and instructed party activists to work to oust the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The prosecution also alleges that excerpts from the meeting were later circulated on social media.
