Deceased Awami League Leaders Named as Accused in Barisal Explosives Case, Raising Doubts
A lawsuit has been filed in Barisal against 248 leaders and activists of the Awami League, accusing them of obstructing roads, holding rallies, and throwing firebombs and petrol bombs. The case, filed by Marjuk Abdullah, a former coordinator of the Barisal district unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, alleges that the accused disrupted public order on June 10, June 16, and June 22. However, the inclusion of four deceased leaders in the list of defendants has cast doubt on the credibility of the allegations and the accuracy of the case details. The court has ordered an investigation by a deputy commissioner-rank officer of the Barisal Metropolitan Police. Among the accused are prominent local Awami League figures, including former Barisal City Corporation Mayor Serniyabat Sadiq Abdullah and former Member of Parliament Jebunnesa Afroz. Four individuals—Khandaker Rezaur Rahman, Abul Faruk Humayun, H M Hafizur Rashid, and Mohammad Ali Howlader—are listed as defendants despite having passed away in 2022 and 2023. For instance, Khandaker Rezaur Rahman, accused of throwing a hand grenade on June 10, reportedly died on January 22, 2022. Similarly, Abul Faruk Humayun, accused of participating in a rally on June 10, passed away on March 25, 2023. The inclusion of these deceased individuals has led to questions about the case's foundation. A former councilor described the plaintiff, Marjuk Abdullah, as a "case businessman" and cited the dead defendants as proof of the lawsuit's baselessness. Another anonymous Awami League leader suggested the plaintiff has extorted money from individuals by threatening to include them in cases. Marjuk Abdullah did not respond to requests for comment. This is not the first time Marjuk Abdullah has faced such accusations; he previously filed a similar case in July 2025 against Awami League senior leader Amir Hossain Amu and 247 others, which also led to allegations of extortion for adding or removing names from the defendant list.
The inclusion of deceased individuals as defendants in this explosives case raises significant questions regarding the integrity of the legal process and the motivations behind the lawsuit. Such misrepresentations can undermine public trust in the justice system and potentially serve as a tool for harassment or extortion, as suggested by local accounts. This situation highlights the importance of robust verification procedures in legal filings to ensure that accusations are based on factual evidence rather than fabricated claims. Moving forward, scrutiny of the plaintiff's history and the verification of all defendant statuses will be crucial for the court's investigation. The case's trajectory could reveal systemic vulnerabilities in how legal complaints are vetted, particularly in politically charged environments, and may prompt reforms to prevent the weaponization of legal proceedings.
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