Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has issued another warrant for the arrest of self-proclaimed exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to the report of the foreign news agency AFP, a second arrest warrant has been issued for Sheikh Hasina on the allegations of her involvement in the disappearance of citizens.
Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor of the country-based International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), said the second warrant was related to enforced disappearances during his regime.
According to the report, Bangladeshi security officials allegedly kidnapped more than 500 people, some of whom were held in secret prisons for years.
Since Hasina Wajid’s dismissal, the victims recounted painful stories of the hardships they faced.
Tajul Islam told reporters that the tribunal had issued warrants against Sheikh Hasina, her military adviser, soldiers and 11 other people including law enforcement officials.
It should be remembered that even earlier, the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh had issued a warrant for the arrest of Sheikh Hasina on charges of killing and torturing anti-government protesters.
More than 60 cases of murder, torture and forced disappearance have been registered against former Prime Minister Hasina Wajid and other Awami League party leaders.
The International Crime Tribunal had started the hearing on these complaints and today, after the prosecutor’s arguments were completed, Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s arrest warrant was issued.
Awami League leaders were not immediately available for comment when the arrest warrants were issued because most senior leaders are either under arrest or in hiding, according to Reuters.
However, Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajib Wajid, told Reuters last month that his mother was ready to face trial in Bangladesh because she had done nothing wrong.
It should be remembered that as a result of the nationwide student movement lasting months, Sheikh Hasina Wajid fled to India by helicopter on the day of the ouster of her government on August 5 and is still living there.
More than 700 people were killed and more than 1,000 were injured in this anti-government student movement, the responsibility of which is being imposed on Sheikh Hasina Wajid, her ministers and leaders.
After the ouster of Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s government, the army has formed an interim cabinet to run the country’s affairs, headed by Nobel laureate banker Muhammad Younis.
Apart from Muhammad Yunus, this cabinet includes retired soldiers, leading leaders of Talaba Tehreek and members of other parties, but no member of Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s party is included.
