Mass Cases and Defendants Trap General Public Amid Anti-Discrimination Student Protests: Extortion Alleged

Deutsche Welle

Police headquarters report that 1,499 cases have been filed so far related to violence, murder, and attempted murder during anti-government protests in July-August last year. Allegations of extortion, personal enmity, family disputes, and business control have surfaced surrounding the mass inclusion of defendants in these cases.

In light of the situation, police have been instructed not to arrest defendants immediately after cases are filed.

One murder case filed at Mirpur Police Station, naming actor Iresh Zaker among 407 accused, has drawn widespread criticism. Similarly, another case filed at Vatara Police Station on April 29 accuses 283 people, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 17 prominent celebrities, of attempted murder.

Vatara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mazharul Islam stated, “The case was filed under court orders. We will proceed based on investigations. Arrests will only occur if criminal involvement is proven.”

The accusations stem from an alleged attempted murder incident in Vatara in July last year. Notable accused celebrities include Nusrat Faria, Apu Biswas, Zayed Khan, and Azizul Hakim.

Mirpur’s murder case was filed by BNP activist Mostafiz Bappi, alleging the murder of his brother, a Chhatra Dal activist, during an alleged grenade attack in August last year. However, Bappi admitted he was not at the scene and filed the case based on others’ accounts.

Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Omar Farooq alleged that many mass cases are being driven by extortion schemes. He explained that names are added or removed based on monetary payments, creating a lucrative business for an organized group.

Human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) highlighted inconsistencies and harassment in these cases, likening them to the “phantom cases” culture of the past. They warned that such practices undermine trust in legitimate cases and violate human rights.

Police emphasized that legal actions would be based on thorough investigations to prevent harassment of innocent individuals.