Sheikh Hasina, other AL leaders being named as accused in Pilkhana murder case

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam along with several other influential ministers and Members of Parliament from the then cabinet are set to be named as accused in the Pilkhana BDR massacre and explosives cases.

Borhan Uddin, Chief Public Prosecutor (Special PP) for the state, confirmed the information to the media on Tuesday morning (24 February).

Chief Prosecutor Borhan Uddin in the explosives case said that sensational information had emerged during the lengthy trial process through witness testimonies. Of around 1,200 listed witnesses, statements from 300 have so far been recorded. Testimonies from several key witnesses have indicated the alleged direct or indirect involvement of Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Taposh, Mirza Azam, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and a number of other leaders of the then Awami League government in the BDR killings.

He added that, on the basis of this specific information, legal procedures are now underway to take action against them and formally include them in the case.

The case filed under the Explosives Substances Act over the killings at Pilkhana on 25 February in 2009 remains pending and is currently at the stage of recording evidence. There are approximately 850 accused in the case. Following the political changeover on 5 August last year, several hundred of the accused have already been granted bail.

On 25 February 2009, 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed inside the Pilkhana headquarters in what remains one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s history. In the murder case filed over the incident, the trial court delivered its verdict on 5 November 2013.