Former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Released on Bail

Former Speaker of the National Parliament, Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, was released from Kashimpur Women's Central Jail in Gazipur on Sunday evening. Her release follows a court order granting her bail in a case involving the attempted murder of a protester during the July 2024 uprising.

The case centers on an incident on July 18, 2024, at the Azimpur bus stand during the student-led mass movement. According to the prosecution, protesters were attacked with various weapons, during which a participant named Ashraful (also known as Fahim) sustained a gunshot wound to his eye.

Ashraful filed the case on May 25, 2025, naming 130 individuals—including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—alongside 115–120 unidentified suspects. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury is listed as the third accused.

Law enforcement arrested the former Speaker in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, on Tuesday, April 7. During her initial court appearance, police requested a remand while her defense sought bail. The court initially denied both petitions, sending her to prison. Following a subsequent hearing this Sunday, the court granted her bail, leading to her release later that evening.