Latest news with #BegumRokeyaUniversity
Gulf Today
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Bangladesh opens murder trial of key student protester
Bangladesh opened on Monday the murder trial of student protester Abu Sayeed, whose killing last year escalated demonstrations nationwide that ultimately ousted then prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Sayeed died aged 23 in the northern city of Rangpur, the first student demonstrator killed in the police crackdown on protests. Footage of his last moments on July 16, 2024 — standing with his arms outstretched before he was shot at close range — was shown repeatedly on Bangladeshi television after Hasina's downfall. Prosecutors at Bangladesh's war crimes tribunal have charged 30 people in connection with the killing. Only four are in custody — two police officers, a university official and a student leader — with arrest warrants issued for the remaining 26. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August last year, according to the United Nations, when Hasina's government ordered a crackdown in a failed bid to cling to power. Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said the court had accepted the formal charges, marking the opening of the trial. 'We have stated that Sheikh Hasina ordered the then interior minister to use lethal weapons; the inspector general of police at the time carried out the instruction, and the forces on the ground, under senior police officers, executed the order,' Islam told journalists. 'Senior members of the university administration actively participated in quashing the protest.' They include the former vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University (BRUR), Hasibur Rashid. The opening of the Sayeed murder trial comes a day before the first anniversary of students launching their protests. Initially demanding reforms to a quota system for public sector jobs, the demonstrations widened to include more general grievances against Hasina's government. In an unrelated development, Bangladesh's biggest port resumed operations on Monday after customs officials called off a strike that had disrupted the export and import of goods for around 48 hours. Sehela Siddiqa, Joint Tax Commissioner and secretary of the NBR Reform Unity Council — a platform of protesting workers — confirmed the resumption of activities at Chittagong and all other ports. 'The ports are now fully functional and operating across the country,' Siddiqa told AFP. 'All employees have returned to work.' A section of employees at the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the country's tax collection authority, has been protesting for over a month against a move by the interim government to reform the agency. Agence France-Presse
News18
30-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
India's White-Ball Tour Of Bangladesh Still In Doubt, BCB President Gives Major Update
Last Updated: India's tour of Bangladesh for ODIs and T20Is remains uncertain due to ongoing political unrest and discussions between the cricket boards. In what has come as a major update on India's upcoming tour of Bangladesh, where the two nations were supposed to play white-ball games, is still in the doldrums, and a final confirmation is still awaited, with the two concerned boards still in discussion over certain factors. Aminul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, said that the BCCI is waiting for their government's decision on the upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh. Bangladesh are scheduled to host India for three ODIs and as many T20Is from Sunday, August 17, but that looks doubtful under the present political situation. 'We're having positive discussions with the BCCI. It's not like (hosting India) in August or September, we are having discussions on how we can do the series, and if we cannot host it now, we will do it at another possible time," Aminul told the media on Monday. Bangladesh today commenced the murder trial of student activist Abu Sayeed, whose death during an anti-government protest in 2024 ignited a nationwide movement leading to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime. Sayeed, a 23-year-old student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, was shot dead by police on July 16, 2024, during demonstrations against the then Hasina government. Videos and images of Sayeed, showing him standing with arms outstretched before being shot, were broadcast, fuelling nationwide public outrage. Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal accepted the prosecution's charges against 30 individuals, including the former vice chancellor of Begum Rokeya University, Hasibur Rashid, court officials said. The tribunal issued arrest warrants for 26 of the accused, while four, the university's former proctor, two policemen and a leader of the now disbanded Awami League's student front Chhatra League, are already in jail. Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam submitted a charge sheet, alleging that Sayeed's killing was part of a systematic crackdown ordered by the then-prime minister and executed by senior police officials. Since then, Bangladesh has been boiling, with continuous protests raging in the country, presumably due to which the Indian government is still pondering sending the team. First Published: June 30, 2025, 23:30 IST
The Sun
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Bangladesh opens murder trial of key student protester
DHAKA: Bangladesh opened on Monday the murder trial of student protester Abu Sayeed, whose killing last year escalated demonstrations nationwide that ultimately ousted then prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Sayeed died aged 23 in the northern city of Rangpur, the first student demonstrator killed in the police crackdown on protests. Footage of his last moments on July 16, 2024 -- standing with his arms outstretched before he was shot at close range -- was shown repeatedly on Bangladeshi television after Hasina's downfall. Prosecutors at Bangladesh's war crimes tribunal have charged 30 people in connection with the killing. Only four are in custody -- two police officers, a university official and a student leader -- with arrest warrants issued for the remaining 26. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August last year, according to the United Nations, when Hasina's government ordered a crackdown in a failed bid to cling to power. Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said the court had accepted the formal charges, marking the opening of the trial. 'We have stated that Sheikh Hasina ordered the then interior minister to use lethal weapons; the inspector general of police at the time carried out the instruction, and the forces on the ground, under senior police officers, executed the order,' Islam told journalists. 'Senior members of the university administration actively participated in quashing the protest.' They include the former vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University (BRUR), Hasibur Rashid. The opening of the Sayeed murder trial comes a day before the first anniversary of students launching their protests. Initially demanding reforms to a quota system for public sector jobs, the demonstrations widened to include more general grievances against Hasina's government. Hasina, who fled to India on August 5, is not listed in the Sayeed case and her separate trial in absentia opened in early June. Prosecutors have filed five charges against her that amount to crimes against humanity, which she denies according to her now-banned Awami League.
Business Recorder
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Bangladesh opens murder trial of key student protester
DHAKA: Bangladesh opened on Monday the murder trial of student protester Abu Sayeed, whose killing last year escalated demonstrations nationwide that ultimately ousted then prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Sayeed died aged 23 in the northern city of Rangpur, the first student demonstrator killed in the police crackdown on protests. Footage of his last moments on July 16, 2024 – standing with his arms outstretched before he was shot at close range – was shown repeatedly on Bangladeshi television after Hasina's downfall. Prosecutors at Bangladesh's war crimes tribunal have charged 30 people in connection with the killing. Only four are in custody – two police officers, a university official and a student leader – with arrest warrants issued for the remaining 26. UN team in Bangladesh to assess rights violations Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August last year, according to the United Nations, when Hasina's government ordered a crackdown in a failed bid to cling to power. Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said the court had accepted the formal charges, marking the opening of the trial. 'We have stated that Sheikh Hasina ordered the then interior minister to use lethal weapons; the inspector general of police at the time carried out the instruction, and the forces on the ground, under senior police officers, executed the order,' Islam told journalists. 'Senior members of the university administration actively participated in quashing the protest.' They include the former vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University (BRUR), Hasibur Rashid. The opening of the Sayeed murder trial comes a day before the first anniversary of students launching their protests. Initially demanding reforms to a quota system for public sector jobs, the demonstrations widened to include more general grievances against Hasina's government. Hasina, who fled to India on August 5, is not listed in the Sayeed case and her separate trial in absentia opened in early June. Prosecutors have filed five charges against her that amount to crimes against humanity, which she denies according to her now-banned Awami League.
Euronews
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Bangladesh's protest crackdown may be crime against humanity, says UN
Bangladesh's former government could be guilty of crimes of humanity, after its crackdown on protests last summer left as many as 1,400 people dead, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has said. The student-led demonstrations against state corruption erupted at the start of July and continued until 15 August, when Sheikh Hasina, the country's long-serving leader, fled to India. In a report published on Wednesday, the OHCHR said that Bangladesh's intelligence and security services had 'systematically engaged' in rights violations during the protests. Most of the 1,400 people who are thought to have died 'were shot by Bangladesh's security forces', with up to 13% of them being children, the report said. It added that security forces had carried out "summary executions by deliberately shooting unarmed protesters at point blank range'. One of those believed to have been killed extrajudicially is Abu Sayed, a student leader who the report says was shot at least twice during a protest at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur. Thousands more people were injured, and more than 11,700 were detained during the unrest. A total of 44 officers were killed last summer, according to Bangladesh Police. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said the state's brutal response to the protests was 'a calculated and well-coordinated strategy' by Hasina's government to cling onto power. 'There are reasonable grounds to believe hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrests and detentions, and torture, were carried out with the knowledge, coordination and direction of the political leadership and senior security officials as part of a strategy to suppress the protests,' he said. Türk said accountability and justice were essential for Bangladesh's future. The OHCHR investigation was requested by Mohammad Yunus, a Nobel prize winner, who currently leads Bangladesh's interim government. After the publication of the UN report, Yunus called on all state employees to hold to account anyone who had broken the law. The message came as OHCHR warned that it would not be easy to bring about reform, as employees appointed by the previous government could attempt to block change. 'Many officials and people who had served or been appointed under the previous regime continue to function,' said Rory Mungoven, the head of the OHCHR's Asia-Pacific region. Last week, protesters destroyed the house in Dhaka where Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared the country's independence from Pakistan in 1971. They were angered by Hasina's decision to give a speech from India that aimed to grow her support within Bangladesh.
