A Dhaka court has acquitted 124 individuals—including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and senior leaders associated with the now-banned Awami League—in the widely discussed “Child Jihad Murder” case, after investigators determined that the alleged victim was alive and the case itself was based on significant factual inaccuracies.
The ruling, confirmed Friday by Keraniganj Model Police Station General Recording Officer Abdul Noor, marks a major legal development in a case that had drawn national attention amid Bangladesh’s ongoing political tensions following the August 2024 change in power.
Case Collapses Over Key Contradictions
According to court documents and police findings, the case unraveled after investigators discovered that the alleged victim, Jihad, had not died as initially claimed. Instead, he had sustained injuries in a separate incident in Hazaribagh, Dhaka.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Tamanna formally accepted the police’s final investigation report on October 30, 2025, clearing all accused individuals. The report had been submitted on August 11 of the same year, recommending full acquittal.
The court noted that a detailed review of the First Information Report (FIR), accompanying charges, and the victim’s own testimony confirmed that the claim of murder was unfounded. The discrepancy between the reported location—Bachila Bridge in Keraniganj—and the actual site of the incident in Hazaribagh further weakened the case.
Investigation officer Sub-Inspector Bodiyar Rahman stated that the case contained “two critical errors: declaring a living person dead and misidentifying the location of the incident,” highlighting what he described as serious procedural and factual flaws.
Allegations of Motivated Litigation
Legal authorities suggested that the case may have been filed with ulterior motives during a period of political unrest often referred to as the July movement.
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Farooqui said the case appeared to be driven by vested interests. “A group with specific motives filed this case during the July movement,” he stated, adding that “investigations have now revealed the actual sequence of events.”
Investigators further alleged that the plaintiff, Zahirul Islam, may have filed the case under external influence, reportedly seeking housing or financial benefits without verifying the facts. Attempts to reach the plaintiff for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone remained switched off.
High-Profile Accused Cleared
Among those acquitted are several prominent political and administrative figures, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Sheikh Hasina’s cousin Sheikh Helal, former Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, and former Inspector General of Police Abdullah Al Mamun.
The inclusion of such high-profile individuals had intensified scrutiny of the case, particularly given the broader political climate following the ouster of the Awami League government.
Broader Political Context
The case unfolded during a turbulent period in Bangladesh, after an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed power in August 2024. Rights groups and observers have since raised concerns over alleged politically motivated cases, arrests, and legal actions targeting figures associated with the previous government.
Human rights organizations, including Ain O Salish Kendra, have documented widespread unrest and violence during that period, reporting hundreds of deaths and thousands of incidents affecting political activists and minority communities.
Critics argue that the filing of high-profile cases based on questionable evidence risks undermining public confidence in the justice system and raises concerns about due process and legal integrity.
Fresh Investigation Underway
Authorities confirmed that a new case has been filed focusing on the actual injuries sustained by Jihad in Hazaribagh, and that investigation is currently ongoing.
Legal analysts say the development underscores the importance of rigorous investigation standards, particularly in politically sensitive cases, to prevent misuse of the legal system.
While the acquittal brings relief to those accused, it also raises broader questions about accountability, the role of misinformation, and the impact of politically charged litigation in Bangladesh’s evolving legal and political landscape.
