A Dhaka court has sent former Speaker of Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury to jail in a case filed over the attempted murder of Ashraful during the July movement.
Detective police had sought a two-day remand to interrogate her in the case, while her lawyers filed a bail petition. After hearing both petitions on Tuesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana rejected the remand and bail applications and ordered that she be sent to jail.
Shirin Sharmin had largely remained out of public view since the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024. She was arrested by Detective Branch (DB) police around 4:30 am on Tuesday from her residence on Road 8/A in Dhanmondi.
She was produced before the court at about 2:00 pm the same day, where Investigation Officer Inspector Mohsin Uddin of the DB Lalbagh Zonal Team applied to show her arrested in the attempted murder case and sought a two-day remand. Her defense counsel simultaneously sought bail.
According to the remand application, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, named as accused No. 1, along with Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and others, allegedly played key roles in state level decision making connected to the incident. It was claimed that the armed attack occurred following direct and indirect instructions stemming from their planning and decisions. Investigators also stated that the accused had provided personal details and information helpful to the investigation during initial questioning, necessitating further interrogation.
The case statement says that on July 18, 2024, during the July movement, protesters were demonstrating at the Azimpur bus stand when attackers armed with local and foreign weapons launched an assault. A bullet struck Ashraful, also known as Fahim, in the eye, and he later received treatment at several hospitals.
On May 25 last year, Ashraful filed the case naming 130 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina, along with 115–120 unidentified persons.
Following Sheikh Hasina’s departure from the country on August 5, 2024, President Mohammad Shahabuddin dissolved Parliament the next day. Under constitutional provisions, the Speaker’s office does not become vacant immediately after dissolution, and the incumbent remains in office until a successor takes oath. However, Shirin Sharmin resigned from the post on September 2, just 27 days later, without waiting for that transition.
She first entered Parliament in 2009 as a member from a reserved women’s seat and was appointed State Minister for Women and Children Affairs. After the death of President Zillur Rahman, then-Speaker Abdul Hamid assumed the presidency. Subsequently, on April 30, 2013, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was elected as Bangladesh’s first female Speaker and served three consecutive terms in the position.
