Published : 30 Aug 2026, 09:06 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:37 AM
Police have completed their investigation into the murder of Abdur Rahman Jisan, who was shot dead while distributing drinking water to protesters in the Matuail area of Dhaka’s Jatrabari during the July Uprising.
Jatrabari Police Station has submitted a charge sheet to the court naming 29 people as accused, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, former ministers and leaders of the Awami League and its affiliates, and former police officials.
Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Kawsar Hossain of Jatrabari Police Station submitted the charge sheet to the court on Jul 8.
The charge sheet also details the alleged roles of the accused during the July Uprising.
Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Sarah Farzana Haque has set Oct 6 for the next hearing in the case, said Sub-Inspector Mohin Uddin of the prosecution department.
Who Are The Accused?
Besides Hasina and Joy, the charge sheet names former prime minister’s defence adviser major general (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former advisor Salman F Rahman, Awami League general secretary and former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former local government minister Tajul Islam, and former ministers Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haq Inu, Anisul Huq and Jahangir Kabir Nanak.
Also named are former MPs Kazi Monirul Islam Monu and Mashiur Rahman Sajal, former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Dhaka Detective Branch chief Harun-or-Rashid, former Rapid Action Battalion director general Harun-or-Rashid, former joint commissioner Biplab Kumar Sarker and former chief of Jatrabari Police Station Abul Hasan.
The list also includes Jatrabari Thana Awami League General Secretary Harunur Rashid Khan Munna, Jubo League leader Ismail Chowdhury Samrat, Mehedi Hasan Sumon, Shanto Nur Khan, Robiul Islam Helali, former councillor Shafiqul Islam Khan Dilu, Abul Kalam Anu, former commissioner Mostak Ahmed, Jubo League leader Faisal Khandaker and Jahangir Alam.
However, the investigating officer has recommended that six people, including Asian Television chairman Harunur Rashid, be discharged from the case as there was “no evidence” against them.
SI Kawsar said, “After completing the investigation, we submitted a charge sheet to the court last month against 29 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. We have recommended that those against whom no evidence was found be discharged.”
Attempts were made to contact Jisan’s father and plaintiff, Babul Mia, but his phone was found switched off.
Jisan’s mother, Jesmin Akter, is currently in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. When contacted on her number, a family member, Yasmin Akter, answered the phone.
Yasmin said, “He went to the movement and died. He was a soul sent by Allah and Allah took him back. We do not want to get involved in any trouble.”
Jesmin was later contacted through WhatsApp, but she too declined to comment on the case.
The complainant’s lawyer and prosecutor at the International Crimes Tribunal, Tarek Abdullah, said: “We have heard that the charge sheet has been submitted to the court. We will review it and then decide what to do.”
How Jisan Died
According to the charge sheet, between 5:30pm and 6pm on Jul 20, 2024, Jisan left his home to distribute drinking water to students participating in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in the No. 2 Titas Gas Road area of Matuail.
According to the investigating officer, several armed individuals affiliated with the local Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League opened fire while protesters were being given water in the area, in presence of police.
The charge sheet says a bullet fired from a cut-down rifle allegedly held by Jahangir Alam entered Jisan’s head above his right eye, slightly below his eyebrow. Local people rescued him and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Wife Rabeya Kills Herself
The charge sheet states that Jisan’s wife, Rabeya Mishti, killed herself on Jul 29, nine days after his death.
It says that when an attempt was made to take Jisan’s body to his ancestral home in Uttar-Paschimgaon of Laksham, Cumilla, the family was prevented from doing so.
The investigating officer alleges that, on the instructions of then local government minister Tajul Islam, local Jubo League leader Robiul Islam Helali obstructed the burial and threatened to kill members of the family.
As a result, Jisan’s mother was forced to bury him at the Matuail graveyard.
What the Chargesheet Says
In the charge sheet, the investigating officer says that after the movement spread across the country in July 2024 over the quota reform issue, the then government and top Awami League leaders decided to suppress the protests.
The investigation officer identified Hasina’s remark about “the grandchildren of Razakars” at a Jul 14 press conference and Quader’s statement the following day that “Chhatra League alone is enough to confront the protesters” as among the reasons the movement intensified.
The chargesheet says a decision was taken to “suppress” protesting students and ordinary people at a meeting of the 14-Party Alliance held at Ganabhaban on Jul 19, chaired by Hasina.
According to the investigating officer, plans were made to implement the decision with the involvement of the other accused through Hasina’s “instructions” and “messages sent from abroad” by her son Joy.
The report says senior police and RAB officials at the time instructed their subordinates to suppress the movement. Acting on their orders, a large number of police personnel were deployed in the Jatrabari area on Jul 20.
The charge sheet says that a section of local Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League leaders and activists then took part in attacks on protesters while carrying weapons.
Case Background
Jisan’s father, Babul Mia, filed a case in court on Aug 25, 2024, over his son’s death. Initially, 27 people were named as accused in the case.
Following the investigation, the investigating officer added Kazi Monirul Islam Monu and Mashiur Rahman Sajal after finding their “involvement” and submitted the charge sheet against 29 people.
Among the accused, Shafiqul Islam Khan Dilu is currently out on bail from the High Court.
Salman, Menon, Inu, Anisul, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Abul Hasan, Monirul and Munna are in jail.
The remaining accused are absconding, and the charge sheet has sought arrest warrants against them.
