Petition to file against Hasina for remarks on dunking Khaleda, Yunus in Padma River

A Chattogram petition is asking for a death threat case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina for two-year-old remarks saying that Muhammad Yunus should be ‘dunked in the Padma River’ while BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia should be ‘pushed into the Padma River from the bridge’.

The port city’s former Chhatra Dal vice president Sourav Priya Pal filed the petition at the court of Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Deb on Sunday.

The court has taken cognisance of the petition and tasked the Police Bureau of Investigation with investigating the incident.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina is the only suspect in the case. Her address has been listed as Dhaka’s Dhanmondi Road No. 32.

Plaintiff Sourav said:

“I filed a case against Sheikh Hasina as the sole suspect for threatening to kill Khaleda Zia by throwing her from the Padma Bridge and inciting Awami League terrorists to kill her.”

His lawyer, Rezaul Islam said, “Taking the application into consideration, the court has ordered the PBI to investigate and submit a report within 30 days.”

“The court has directed any officer of the additional superintendent rank of the PBI’s Chattogra Metropolitan branch be tasked with the investigation.”

On May 18, 2022, the Awami League held a discussion programme at its party office on Bangabandhu Avenue to mark the day of Hasina’s homecoming.

Hasina joined the event virtually from the Ganabhaban.

During her speech that day, she said: “For the post of an MD, he [Yunus] halted the money for the Padma Bridge. For this he should be dunked twice into the Padma River. Not to kill him, but to give him a dip before putting him on the bridge. Maybe then he will learn.”

“The money for Padma Bridge was halted by Dr Yunus. Why? Because he wanted to remain as Padma Bank MD.”

She went on to say: “Khaleda Zia said the Padma Bridge was being built in a patchwork manner because the various spans being installed seemed like patchwork to her. She said that no one should use it as it is a patchwork and would collapse. It would collapse as soon as someone used it. Some others joined her.”

“What should be done with them? They should be taken to the Padma Bridge and tossed into the river.”

The application for the case says that during a press conference “the accused revealed to the people of the country in her public comments the deep conspiracy and latent blueprint to kill her party’s main rival, BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.”

It added that Hasina, through her speech, defamed Khaleda and Yunus and expressed her latent desire to kill them.

The case application goes on to say that Hasina’s remarks regarding Khaleda and Yunus showcase ‘threats to kill, a conspiracy to kill, and an incitement to kill’.