Bangladesh's ex-PM investigated for murder

A murder investigation has been opened into Bangladesh's ex-premier Sheikh Hasina over the police killing of a man during civil unrest last month.

Six other top figures in the previous government are also being investigated following weeks of deadly unrest in the capital Dhaka.

Mamun Mia, a lawyer who brought the case on behalf of a private citizen, said the court in Dhaka had ordered police to accept "the murder case against the accused persons".

This is the first step in a criminal investigation under Bangladeshi law.

Ms Hasina resigned and left the country earlier this month, fleeing to India after political unrest destabilised the government.

More than 400 people were killed in weeks of student demonstrations against Ms Hasina. Many of them were shot by the police, on her orders.

Businessman Amir Hamza applied to bring the murder case in July, after a local grocer, Abu Saeed was shot in the head while crossing the road.

He told a magistrate's court that on 19 July, students were holding a peaceful protest, and police had fired indiscriminately on the crowd, according to BBC Bangla.

The former Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader is among those being investigated.