Sunday, 22 December, 2024
Senior Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna has been implicated in a case related to an alleged murder attempt during the July student movement. The case was filed at Khilgaon Police Station on Thursday, listing Panna as the 94th accused.
The charges arise from an incident in July during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, where a young man named Ahadul Islam was shot. Ahadul’s father, Md Bakar, filed the case, claiming that the shooting constituted a murder attempt.
The case also names several prominent figures, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, director general of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), alongside 176 others.
According to the details of the case, on July 19, Ahadul participated in a student protest near the Shukkur Ali Garments intersection in Dhaka’s Khilgaon.
“At that time, police, BGB, Rapid Action Battalion personnel, and leaders and activists of the Awami League, its affiliated organizations, and the 14-Party Alliance attacked with local weapons, detonated cocktails and sound grenades, and opened fire with firearms,” the case states.
The first information report (FIR) alleges that the gunfire was intended to suppress the peaceful movement with lethal intent. Ahadul was shot in the left leg and collapsed on the street, where the attackers allegedly continued to beat him before he was taken to a nearby hospital.
“We registered the case based on the complainant’s allegations. Anyone proven innocent during the investigation will be exempted from the charges,” said Khilgaon Police Station chief Md Daud Hossain in a statement to bdnews24.com.
In response to his inclusion in the case, Panna asserted that “influential forces” were behind the allegations, stating, “These cases won’t silence me. Even if my dead body lies here, they can’t stifle my conscience. I am a freedom fighter.”
Meanwhile, the rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) condemned the case against Panna, calling it "unfortunate" and "unwarranted."
In a statement issued on Sunday, ASK noted, “Since the inception of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, ZI Khan Panna has been actively involved in the legal struggle to support the students' rightful demands and to oppose the detention of their leaders.”
The statement further speculated that Panna’s advocacy on human rights issues and his public remarks may have displeased certain factions, leading to the filing of a "harassment-driven" case.
“If that is the case, it is deeply unfortunate, unexpected, and condemnable,” the statement added.
Highlighting Panna’s lifelong commitment to advocacy, the statement emphasized, “Panna has tirelessly championed human rights throughout his career, often facing backlash for his outspoken criticism of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and torture, as well as for his efforts to protect freedom of expression and the rights of religious and ethnic minorities.”
“Panna’s fight has always been for the marginalized, and he remains a revered figure for his unwavering commitment to justice for ordinary people. He has consistently raised his voice during every government’s tenure,” it concluded.
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Senior Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna has been implicated in a case related to an alleged murder attempt during the July student movement. The case was filed at Khilgaon Police Station on Thursday, listing Panna as the 94th accused.
The charges arise from an incident in July during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, where a young man named Ahadul Islam was shot. Ahadul’s father, Md Bakar, filed the case, claiming that the shooting constituted a murder attempt.
The case also names several prominent figures, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, director general of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), alongside 176 others.
According to the details of the case, on July 19, Ahadul participated in a student protest near the Shukkur Ali Garments intersection in Dhaka’s Khilgaon.
“At that time, police, BGB, Rapid Action Battalion personnel, and leaders and activists of the Awami League, its affiliated organizations, and the 14-Party Alliance attacked with local weapons, detonated cocktails and sound grenades, and opened fire with firearms,” the case states.
The first information report (FIR) alleges that the gunfire was intended to suppress the peaceful movement with lethal intent. Ahadul was shot in the left leg and collapsed on the street, where the attackers allegedly continued to beat him before he was taken to a nearby hospital.
“We registered the case based on the complainant’s allegations. Anyone proven innocent during the investigation will be exempted from the charges,” said Khilgaon Police Station chief Md Daud Hossain in a statement to bdnews24.com.
In response to his inclusion in the case, Panna asserted that “influential forces” were behind the allegations, stating, “These cases won’t silence me. Even if my dead body lies here, they can’t stifle my conscience. I am a freedom fighter.”
Meanwhile, the rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) condemned the case against Panna, calling it "unfortunate" and "unwarranted."
In a statement issued on Sunday, ASK noted, “Since the inception of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, ZI Khan Panna has been actively involved in the legal struggle to support the students' rightful demands and to oppose the detention of their leaders.”
The statement further speculated that Panna’s advocacy on human rights issues and his public remarks may have displeased certain factions, leading to the filing of a "harassment-driven" case.
“If that is the case, it is deeply unfortunate, unexpected, and condemnable,” the statement added.
Highlighting Panna’s lifelong commitment to advocacy, the statement emphasized, “Panna has tirelessly championed human rights throughout his career, often facing backlash for his outspoken criticism of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and torture, as well as for his efforts to protect freedom of expression and the rights of religious and ethnic minorities.”
“Panna’s fight has always been for the marginalized, and he remains a revered figure for his unwavering commitment to justice for ordinary people. He has consistently raised his voice during every government’s tenure,” it concluded.
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