Former Bangladesh captain and arguably the country's most renowned and influential cricketer, Shakib Al Hasan, has been named among 147 individuals accused in a murder case connected to the August protests in Bangladesh.

The case was reportedly filed by Rafiqul Islam, whose son Rubel was killed on August 7 during the ongoing protests in Bangladesh. According to the report, Rubel was part of a rally on Ring Road in Adabor, where he was shot in the chest and abdomen. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries on the same day. The case, filed with the Adabor police station in Dhaka, lists Shakib Al Hasan as the 28th accused and popular Bangladeshi actor Ferdous Ahmed as the 55th accused. Both Shakib and Ferdous are former Awami League MPs in the parliament.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was also named in the case, along with 154 others. According to the report, around 400-500 unidentified individuals were accused.

Notably, Shakib was not in Bangladesh during the protests that led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. During that time, Shakib was in Canada, captaining the Bangla Tigers Mississauga in the Global T20 Canada league.

According to The Daily Star, the case statement alleges that some of the accused opened fire on protesting students, including Rubel, on August 5, which led to his fatal injuries. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates that over 400 people died during the unrest between July 16 and August 4, although some reports suggest an even higher toll.

Following the fall of the Awami League, an interim government was established in Bangladesh, leading to significant changes at the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Former national captain Faruque Ahmed has assumed the role of board president. Shakib, currently playing in the Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan, had earlier this year been elected as a member of parliament after winning the general elections in his hometown of Magura.

Shakib Al Hasan is considered one of the top all-rounders in world cricket, having represented Bangladesh in 67 Tests, 247 ODIs, and 129 T20Is. The left-arm spinner, who also excels as a top-order batter, has amassed over 14,500 international runs across formats, along with taking 703 wickets. He is also a regular in top franchise leagues worldwide, including the IPL, PSL, CPL, and BPL.

Image source: AFP