Staff Correspondent

Senior Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna has been named in a case related to an alleged murder attempt during the July student movement.

The case was registered at Khilgaon Police Station on Thursday, listing Panna as the 94th accused.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred in July during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, where a young man named Ahadul Islam was shot. Ahadul’s father Md Bakar filed the case, alleging that the shooting was a murder attempt.

The case also named several prominent figures, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, the director general of the Border Guard Bangladesh, or BGB, along with 176 others.

According to the case details, on Jul 19, Ahadul participated in a student protest near Shukkur Ali Garments intersection at Meradia in Dhaka’s Khilgaon.

“At that time, police, BGB, Rapid Action Battalion, and leaders and activists of the Awami League, its affiliated organisations, and the 14-Party Alliance attacked with local weapons, exploded cocktails and sound grenades, and opened fire with firearms,” the case reads.

The first information report, or FIR, alleges that the gunfire was intended to suppress the peaceful movement with the aim to kill. Ahadul was shot in the left leg and collapsed on the street. The attackers allegedly beat him further before he was taken to a nearby hospital.

“We registered the case based on the complainant’s allegations. Anyone proven innocent during the investigation will be exempted from the charges,” Khilgaon Police Station chief Md Daud Hossain told bdnews24.com.

Reacting to his inclusion in the case, Panna claimed “influential forces” were behind the move, adding: “These cases won’t silence me. Even if my dead body lies here, they can’t stifle my conscience. Mind it, I am a freedom fighter.”

Meanwhile, rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra, or ASK, has condemned the case against Panna, calling it "unfortunate" and "unwarranted."

In a statement issued on Sunday, ASK said: “Since the beginning of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, ZI Khan Panna has been involved in the legal struggle to support the students' rightful demands and against the detention of their leaders.”

The statement further speculated that Panna’s role in raising concerns on human rights issues and his public remarks might have displeased certain quarters, leading to the filing of a "harassment-driven" case.

“If that is the case, it is deeply unfortunate, unexpected, and condemnable,” the statement added.

Highlighting his lifelong work, the statement noted: “Panna has tirelessly advocated for human rights throughout his career. He has faced dissatisfaction from various quarters for speaking out against crossfire, forced disappearances, and torture, as well as for his work on freedom of expression and the rights of religious and ethnic minorities."

“Panna’s fight has always been for the marginalised. He remains a revered figure for his unwavering commitment to justice for ordinary people. He has consistently raised his voice during every government’s tenure,” it said.