Bangladesh’s premier cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is among 156 people accused in the murder of Mohammad Rubel in Dhaka’s Adabor area during protests organized by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
Rubel, a garment worker, died on August 7 after being struck by a bullet during the protests on August 5.
The case was filed with the Adabor police station on August 22 by Rubel’s father, Rafiqul Islam, naming 154 local Awami League leaders and activists, along with Shakib and the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as accused in Rubel’s killing.
In addition to these named individuals, another 400-500 unidentified persons were also accused.
According to the case statement, Rubel participated in the peaceful protests led by the Student Movement against Discrimination, which demanded quota reforms in government jobs, on August 5 in the Adabor area.
Following orders allegedly issued by Hasina and the other accused, unknown assailants attacked the protesting students, opening fire on them.
During the attack, Rubel was struck by two bullets in the chest, causing severe injuries that led to his death.
Shakib, who is currently representing Bangladesh in the ongoing Test series against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, is one of the 156 accused in the murder case.
According to the chargesheet, he is listed as accused number 28 in the FIR lodged by Rafiqul.
Shakib, who was an MP from the Magura-2 constituency after winning the last general election under the Awami League banner, has not returned to Bangladesh since the Awami League leaders, including Sheikh Hasina, left the country.
Currently, Bangladesh is governed by an interim administration headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Recently, the newly elected president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Faruque Ahmed, stated that they will need to reassess Shakib’s future if he continues to miss preparation camps at home, as he did before the ongoing Test series against Pakistan on home soil.
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