A Feni court has issued a public notice ordering former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 177 other absconding accused to appear within ten days in the murder case of student Mahbubul Hasan Masum, who was killed during the July uprising in Feni. The notice, signed by Chief Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Salamat Ullah, was published in a national daily on Saturday. It warns that if the accused fail to appear within the stipulated time, the trial will proceed in their absence.

The case was filed on 4 September 2024 by the victim’s brother, Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan, following the death of Masum after being shot during a student protest in Feni’s Mohipal area. Police submitted a charge sheet against 221 individuals on 31 July 2025, and arrest warrants were issued for 171, including Sheikh Hasina, on 14 January 2026. So far, 51 accused have been arrested, and some have given confessional statements.

The case remains under trial, with legal proceedings continuing against the absconding accused under relevant sections of the Criminal Procedure Code.