Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday issued arrest warrants against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted after student-led protests in August, and 45 others for alleged crimes against humanity.
The warrants against Hasina, 77, and others, including her party Awami League’s top leaders, were issued on the first day of the judicial proceedings begun by the re-constituted tribunal, Dhaka Tribune newspaper said. The Tribunal, led by its chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, passed the orders after the prosecution filed two petitions seeking arrest warrants, Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam was quoted as saying by the Daily Star.
The ICT also directed the authorities concerned to produce Hasina and 45 others before it by November 18.
So far more than 60 complaints of enforced disappearance, murder and mass killings have been filed at the ICT against Hasina, other leaders of her Awami League party and the 14-party alliance, journalists and former top officials of law enforcement agencies.