Bangladesh Issues Arrest Warrant for Former Leader Sheikh Hasina
A Bangladeshi court has issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August following her ousting amid mass protests.
Hasina is wanted by Bangladesh’s International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) for alleged involvement in "crimes against humanity" during the protests, which resulted in hundreds of deaths.
Having ruled Bangladesh for over 20 years, Hasina was viewed as an autocrat who suppressed dissent during her government.
Arrest warrants have also been issued for 45 others, including former ministers who fled the country. "The court has... ordered the arrest of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and to produce her in court on November 18," said ICT chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam.
"Sheikh Hasina was among those responsible for the massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity between July and August," he added.
Bangladesh’s interim health ministry reported over 1,000 deaths during the summer’s violent protests, sparked by student-led demonstrations against government job quotas, marking one of the deadliest periods since Bangladesh's 1971 independence.
Hasina, 77, has not been seen in public since fleeing. Her last known location was a military airbase near Delhi, India.
Initially expected to stay in India briefly, reports suggest her attempts to seek asylum elsewhere have so far failed. Her presence in India complicates diplomatic relations with Bangladesh’s new interim government, which has revoked her diplomatic passport.
Although Bangladesh and India have a bilateral extradition treaty, it includes a clause allowing refusal of extradition if the offense is considered "political."
The reconstituted tribunal, which began proceedings on Thursday, has been criticized for lacking judges with international legal expertise. Several cases against Hasina, accusing her of orchestrating the "mass murder" of protesters, are under investigation.
Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed, has stated that his mother is prepared to face trial, saying, "My mother has done nothing wrong," in an interview last month with Reuters.