An attempted murder case filed in the aftermath of Bangladesh’s 2024 protests against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has effectively collapsed after investigators failed to verify even the most basic elements of the complaint. The case, which named Hasina and 112 others as accused, fell apart when authorities were unable to trace the alleged victim, confirm the complainant’s identity, or establish that the incident ever took place. Despite these findings, investigators have acknowledged that they are facing political pressure to keep the case alive, highlighting concerns about the politicisation of law enforcement under the interim administration.
The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), which took over the probe from local police, informed a Dhaka court that the case was riddled with serious factual flaws. These included a missing victim, forged identity details, and a complainant who could not be located at the address he himself provided. Bangladeshi media outlet BDNews24 reported that although the PBI has recommended dropping the charges, it has admitted to being under “pressure” because its findings would clear Sheikh Hasina and several senior Awami League figures, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and party leader Obaidul Quader, of the attempted murder allegation.
The episode casts a shadow over the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, which assumed power after the 2024 protests with promises of justice, accountability and institutional reform. While the PBI’s conclusions suggest a degree of professional resistance to politically convenient prosecutions, the agency’s admission of external pressure points to a broader environment in which law enforcement is expected to produce cases against the ousted Awami League leadership, even when evidence does not support the allegations.
Since Sheikh Hasina’s removal from office, numerous Awami League leaders have been booked in a wave of cases that the party has repeatedly described as arbitrary and politically motivated. The situation has drawn further scrutiny following the death of veteran musician Proloy Chaki, who was associated with the party and died in hospital while in police custody. His son alleged that Chaki was arrested despite not being named in any case initially and was later shown as accused in an explosives case linked to protest violence, reinforcing claims of indiscriminate arrests.
The attempted murder case in question was filed on September 3, 2024, at Dhaka’s Dhanmondi Police Station. The complainant, who identified himself as Md Sharif from the Hazaribagh Tannery area, claimed that his younger brother, Shahed Ali, had been injured during protest-related violence on August 4 near Dhanmondi 27. As was common in many such cases filed after the change in government, the FIR named a large number of accused—113 in total—including Sheikh Hasina. It also listed nine other alleged victims described as students, but provided only their names without addresses or medical documentation.
Initial arrests were made by local police before the case was handed over to the PBI, a specialised national agency tasked with handling sensitive and high-profile investigations. After months of inquiry, the PBI submitted a final report to the court on November 5, stating that the case contained fundamental errors and could not be substantiated. Details of the report later revealed that investigators could not find any evidence that the alleged victim existed.
The PBI found that no individual named Shahed Ali had ever lived at the address mentioned in the FIR and that he was not related to the complainant as claimed. The National ID number cited in the complaint was determined to be fake and unlinked to any registered mobile number. Claims that the alleged victim ran a business at Shimanto Square were also disproved after market authorities and on-site checks found no record of such a person. Similarly, the identities of the other nine alleged victims could not be verified due to a lack of complete information.
Repeated notices to the complainant yielded no results. He failed to produce the alleged victim, provide medical records, or supply any credible evidence. According to investigators, even a review of the supposed crime scene indicated that no such incident had occurred at the stated time or location. On this basis, the PBI concluded that the case was “fundamentally unreliable,” raising serious questions about how such grave charges were registered and pursued in the first place.
Further inquiries revealed that the complainant himself could not be traced. The landlord at the Hazaribagh address denied knowing anyone by the name given in the FIR, while verification of identity records suggested his real name was Shariful Islam from Lakshmipur Sadar, where locals also failed to recognise him. Although his mobile number was largely unreachable, investigators managed to meet him once, but he again failed to produce any evidence or documentation to support his claims.
Despite these findings, the PBI stated that it was under pressure regarding its recommendation to clear Hasina and the other accused. While emphasising that it has pursued protest-related cases where evidence exists, the agency maintained that in this instance, the lack of credible proof necessitated dropping the charges. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for February 3.
The collapse of the case has reinforced the Awami League’s assertion that many of the legal actions taken against its leaders after the regime change were “ghost cases” driven by political motives rather than evidence. The party claims that thousands of cases were filed in the months following Hasina’s ouster, leading to tens of thousands of arrests, including former ministers, MPs and senior officials. Although this particular case may now be nearing closure, it has become emblematic of broader concerns about the weaponisation of the criminal justice system and the pressure placed on investigators to deliver politically expedient outcomes, even in the absence of facts.
