Dhaka, Bangladesh:
A court in Bangladesh issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following her removal from power by a student-led uprising in August.
“The court has ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and has summoned her to appear in court on November 18,” said Mohammad Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, during a press briefing on Thursday.
During Hasina’s 15-year tenure, there were widespread allegations of human rights violations, including the arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killings of her political adversaries.
“Sheikh Hasina was among those responsible for massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity from July to August,” Islam stated, describing it as a “significant day.”
Hasina, who is 77 years old, has not made any public appearances since fleeing Bangladesh. She was last reported to be at a military airbase near New Delhi, India.
Her presence in India has sparked outrage in Bangladesh, leading to the revocation of her diplomatic passport. The two countries have a bilateral extradition agreement that would allow her to return to face trial for criminal charges.
However, the treaty stipulates that extradition may be denied if the offense is deemed to be of a “political nature.”
Hasina’s administration established the controversial International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in 2010 to investigate crimes committed during the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan.
The tribunal faced criticism from the United Nations and human rights organizations for its procedural flaws, with many viewing it as a tool for Hasina to eliminate her political rivals.
Multiple cases accusing Hasina of orchestrating the “mass murder” of protesters are currently under investigation by the court.
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