A Bangladeshi court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August after being deposed by a student-led revolt.
Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam described it as a “remarkable day,” while a relative of one of the hundreds killed in the rebellion against her dictatorial reign stated that they were “looking forward” to the trial.
During Hasina’s 15-year administration, significant human rights violations occurred, including mass incarceration and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents.
“The court has… ordered the arrest of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and to produce her in court on November 18,” Islam, chief prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), told reporters.
“Sheikh Hasina was at the helm of those who committed massacres, killings and crimes against humanity in July to August”, Islam said.
The court also issued arrest warrants for Obaidul Quader, the fugitive former general secretary of Hasina’s Awami League party, and 44 others who were not identified.
Dozens of Hasina’s friends were arrested when her administration collapsed, suspected of involvement in a police crackdown that murdered over 700 people during the uprising that ousted her.
Former cabinet ministers and other prominent members of her Awami League party have been detained, and her government’s officials have been removed from the judiciary and the central bank.
However, Hasina has not been seen in public since fleeing Bangladesh via chopper.
‘Hold her accountable’
The 77-year-old’s last official whereabouts are a military airbase near India’s capital New Delhi.
Her presence in India — her former biggest benefactor — has infuriated the new interim government in Bangladesh.
Dhaka has revoked her diplomatic passport, and the countries have a bilateral extradition treaty which would permit her return to face criminal trial.
A clause in the treaty, however, says extradition might be refused if the offence is of a “political character”.
Among those in court were family members of Sajib Sarkar, a medic killed in July during the protests against Hasina.
“We want the government to take the initiative to bring back the former prime minister as soon as possible and hold her accountable,” his sister, Sumaiya Sarkar, told AFP. “We are looking forward to a fair trial.”
The ICT is a deeply contentious war crimes court Hasina’s government set up in 2010 to probe atrocities during the 1971 independence war from Pakistan.
The United Nations and rights groups criticised its procedural shortcomings, and it became widely seen as a means for Hasina to eliminate political opponents.
Several cases accusing Hasina of orchestrating the “mass murder” of protesters are being probed by the court.
Hasina was replaced by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.
The 84-year-old microfinance pioneer is leading a temporary administration, to tackle what he has called the “extremely tough” challenge of restoring democratic institutions.
Yunus said he had inherited a “completely broken down” system of public administration and justice that needs a comprehensive overhaul to prevent a future return to autocracy.