Arrest warrants issued against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 285 others for alleged sedition
In a dramatic turn of events, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh has filed a charge sheet against 286 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for their alleged involvement in anti-state activities and a plot to overthrow the interim government.
The charge sheet, submitted on August 14, 2025, alleges that these individuals conspired during a Zoom meeting held on December 19, 2024, where they vowed to bring Sheikh Hasina back to power through civil war and to prevent the interim government from governing peacefully. The meeting, attended by Sheikh Hasina and others, was of the "Joy Bangla Brigade."
The case was initially filed by CID Assistant Police Superintendent Md Enamul Haque on March 27, 2025, against 73 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina. After conducting an investigation authorized under Section 196 of the CRPC, the CID found sufficient evidence to expand the charge sheet to 286 individuals.
The charge sheet was submitted before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam, who accepted the document. The court has issued arrest warrants against all the accused, and a report on the execution of the arrest warrants is scheduled for submission on September 11, 2025.
The individuals charged include leaders and activists of the Awami League and affiliated organizations. The meeting, hosted by Dr. Rabbi Alam, had 577 participants from various countries. The charges include sedition and anti-state activities under sections 121, 121A, and 124A of the Penal Code.
Sheikh Hasina allegedly made anti-state remarks during the meeting and instructed members to oust the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The statements from the meeting were circulated widely on social media across the country.
While the full list of the 286 individuals has not been disclosed in the public sources, those charged include prominent Awami League leaders, activists from its front organizations, and associates participating in the Zoom meeting hosted online. The proceedings are ongoing, with further investigations and court reports scheduled.
The ongoing court proceedings involve a charge sheet filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on August 14, 2025, against 286 individuals, detailing their involvement in a plot to overthrow the interim government through civil war, as revealed in a Zoom meeting attended by Sheikh Hasina on December 19, 2024. These individuals, including political leaders and activists, are accused of anti-state activities and sedition, with the case falling under sections 121, 121A, and 124A of the Penal Code, subsumed under 'crime-and-justice' category. The broader context of this event can be found within 'war-and-conflicts' and 'politics', as well as 'general-news'.
