Tribunal issues warrant against Hasina

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday issued arrest warrants against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted after massive anti-government protests, and 45 others for alleged crimes against humanity.

The tribunal directed the authorities to produce Hasina and the others before it by November 18, local media reported.

The arrest warrant against Hasina could – technically – open up the possibility of the country’s interim government seeking her extradition from India, where she fled on August 5. The decision to approach India on this is likely to be a political call. Dhaka, however, has indicated earlier that this remains an option.

Advocate Tajul Islam, the tribunal’s chief prosecutor, on Sunday said Interpol’s assistance would be sought to bring back the “fugitives”, including Hasina.

Hasina, 77, landed at the Hindon airbase near Delhi on August 5 as the protests, which started out as an agitation by students over a controversial quota for government jobs, peaked.

She was believed to have been shifted later to an unspecified location, and has not been seen in public since then. The warrants against Hasina and others, including her party Awami League’s top leaders, were issued on the first day of the judicial proceedings by the re-constituted tribunal, the Dhaka Tribune said.