Bangladeshs International Crimes Tribunal has taken a significant step by issuing an arrest warrant for Sheikh Hasina‚ the former Prime Minister. The tribunal accuses her of being involved in mass killings during violent protests that happened about 9 months ago
The unrest which started as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas‚ turned into one of the deadliest periods since Bangladesh gained independence (more than 50 years ago). It resulted in over 700 deaths and many injuries
Hasina left for India on 08/05/24 and a temporary government‚ led by Muhammad Yunus (a Nobel Peace Prize winner) took over. Justice Golam Mortuza Majumdar presided over the tribunals proceedings where prosecutors asked for arrest warrants for 50 people including Hasina
Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said: “I appealed to the court that if the accused who are extremely influential‚ are not arrested it will be impossible to conduct the investigation“
More than 60 complaints have been filed against Hasina and other leaders of her Awami League party. The accusations include:
- enforced disappearances
- murder
- mass killings
Many senior members of the Awami League have either been arrested or gone into hiding; making it hard to get comments from party leaders
However Sajeeb Wazed‚ Hasinaʼs son told Reuters about a month ago that his mother was ready to face trial in Bangladesh adding “My mother has done nothing wrong“