Legal adviser Asif Nazrul has said that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina bears responsibility for the death of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. He made the remarks on Tuesday after a special meeting of the advisory council, during a press conference. Nazrul alleged that Khaleda Zia had been subjected to various forms of torture during what he described as a fascist regime, which endangered her life and led to her premature death.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, announced state mourning and other programs to honor Khaleda Zia. Nazrul also claimed that Khaleda Zia had been imprisoned under a false and staged verdict, describing it as a global example of injustice. He said the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division had confirmed that the verdict was fabricated.

The comments came amid national mourning and heightened security arrangements, with over ten thousand law enforcement members deployed for related events in Dhaka.