Former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury was sent to jail on April 7, 2026, after a Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate court rejected both her bail and remand petitions in the Lalbagh police case over the attempted murder of Ashraful. The decision was delivered by Magistrate Jewel Rana, who ordered her detention following her arrest the previous night from Dhanmondi. As police escorted her from the courtroom, pro-Awami League lawyers chanted “Joy Bangla” and other slogans in her support.

According to the case, the incident occurred on July 18, 2024, during the quota reform movement when a peaceful rally in Azimpur was attacked, allegedly under the direction of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other senior leaders. Ashraful, the complainant, was seriously injured and later filed a case in May 2025 naming 130 accused, including Shirin Sharmin as the third defendant. The prosecution argued that she played a key role in state decisions linked to the violence, while the defense claimed she had resigned earlier and was being unfairly implicated.

The court’s order keeps Shirin Sharmin in custody as the investigation continues into the alleged political violence and its organizers.