Rajshahi police have submitted charge sheets in nine cases related to last year’s July movement, including two murder cases over the killings of two students. A total of 529 individuals, including former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, and former Rajshahi City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, have been accused.
On Tuesday (September 2), Inspector Ibrahim Khalil of the Detective Branch (DB) and investigation officer of the July murder cases, filed the charge sheets in two cases with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Rajshahi. The court presented the documents the following day.
These two are the first murder cases among those filed over the July movement in Rajshahi to see charge sheets. In addition, charge sheets in seven other cases—including those related to attacks, looting, use of explosives, and attempted murder—have also been submitted.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Gaziur Rahman confirmed that 244 people have been primarily charged in the two murder cases.
According to court sources, in the case of Islami Chhatra Shibir leader Ali Raihan’s killing, 127 individuals including Hasina, Quader, and Liton have been indicted. In the murder of Barendra University student Sakib Anjum, 117 people have been charged.
Inspector Khalil stated that video footage, media reports, eyewitness accounts, and testimonies were collected during the investigation. He added that while the original FIRs included several unidentified suspects, investigators identified and added names based on evidence and witness statements.
So far, 39 people have been arrested in the Ali Raihan case, including 7 named in the original FIR and 32 identified during investigation. In the Sakib Anjum case, 33 suspects have been detained, including 5 named in the FIR and 28 others identified later.
Public Prosecutor of Rajshahi Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, Ali Ashraf Masum, said the charge sheets for all nine cases, including the two student murder cases, have been filed. These cases will gradually be transferred to different courts for trial.
The incidents date back to August 5 last year, when Awami League and affiliated organizations allegedly opened fire on students and citizens protesting against discrimination in Rajshahi. Ali Raihan was critically injured by gunfire at Alupotti and later died on August 8 while undergoing treatment. His brother filed a case at Boalia Police Station, naming 50 individuals and 1,150 unidentified suspects.
On the same day, student Sakib Anjum was shot dead in Alupotti. His father filed a murder case on August 24, naming Rajshahi AL General Secretary Dablu Sarkar as the prime accused along with 342 others, including Liton. Investigators eventually charged 117 individuals in this case.
