Dhaka: Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal issued arrest warrants against deposed PM Sheikh Hasina and 45 others, including prominent politicians and intellectuals.
The warrants are in connection with alleged “crimes against humanity” committed during this year’s student-led July-Aug mass uprising, which left 700 people dead. Among those implicated are Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, writer and educationist Zafar Iqbal, and former judge AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik. The tribunal has directed that the accused, including Hasina, be produced in court by Nov 18. The ICT, a domestic judicial mechanism set up under national legislation, is designed to try internationally recognised crimes such as genocide and war crimes.
The Tribunal, which issued arrest warrants against Hasina and others, had previously tried top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for similar crimes. Foreign affairs adviser Mohammed Touhid Hossain said that Dhaka would take steps necessary to bring Hasina back to Bangladesh as the ICT has issued arrest warrants.
The arrest orders were passed by a three-member ICT bench led by chairman Justice Mohammed Golam Mortuza Majumdar after two petitions were filed by the prosecution seeking the arrest of Hasina and others. Chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam, who has a Jamaat background, told reporters that the accused hold significant power, which necessitated a cautious approach in revealing all the names involved. He suggested that Hasina’s former cabinet members were also among those named in the petitions.
The tribunal has already received over 60 complaints of genocide and crimes against humanity against Hasina and other Awami members.
At a meeting with ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, Yunus asked him about the procedure to file a case of crimes against humanity at the ICC. Khan said Bangladesh can definitely file a complaint at the Hague-based court but added that there are rules to be followed for this.
