Bangladesh court opens murder probe against Sheikh Hasina

A court in Bangladesh on Tuesday ordered an investigation into ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and six senior officials in her government over the killing of a man during July protests.

Lawyer Mamoon Mia said he had filed a petition in this regard with the Dhaka court, which asked the police to open an investigation "against the accused".

"A case has been filed against Sheikh Hasina and six others," said Mia, a citizen's representative, who is accused of being responsible for the July 19 killing of a grocery store owner by police during a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests.

The local newspaper, Daily Star, reported that the citizen, Amir Hamza Shatil, who is a resident of the neighborhood where the shooting led to the death of the store owner, brought the case to court.

Other accused in the case include former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Awami League Secretary General Obaidul Quader, four senior police officials - Inspector General Chaudhry Abdullah Mamun, Judicial Police Chief Haroon Rashid and two Dhaka policemen.

The police have been criticised for their bloody crackdown on anti-government protests that left 450 people dead, including 42 of their own.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 76, left her official residence in Dhaka on August 5 amid the unrest. She then announced her resignation and headed to the Indian city of Agartala. Local media reported that she had sought asylum in the United Kingdom.

Later, Muhammad Yunus (84 years old), winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, was officially appointed as the interim head of the government in Bangladesh, and the protest leaders asked him to lead the transitional period and oversee democratic reforms in the country.