Bangladesh court issues arrest warrant for former prime minister

A Bangladesh court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August after being overthrown following weeks of violently repressed protests.

The court “ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her appearance in court” on November 18, Mohammad Tajul Islam, attorney general of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), told reporters.

Sheikh Hasina, 77, and her government have been accused of massive human rights violations.including arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial executions of political opponents.

The UN calls for an “impartial and transparent” investigation into the repression in Bangladesh

The former head of government “was on the front line of those who committed massacres, murders and crimes against humanity between July and August,” said Mohammad Tajul Islam.

Hasina has not been seen in public since she left Bangladesh.. Its last known location is a military air base near the Indian capital, New Delhi.

His presence in India drew the ire of Bangladesh and Dhaka canceled his diplomatic passport.

The two countries signed a bilateral extradition treaty that, in theory, allows him to return to Bangladesh to face trial.

However, a clause in the treaty states that extradition can be denied if the crime is of a “political nature.”

The International Crimes Tribunal was created by Hasina in 2010, initially to investigate atrocities committed during the war of independence against Pakistan in 1971.

This controversial court, often criticized by human rights organizations, sentenced to death more than a hundred people during the Hasina governments, including several of her opponents.

The court is currently examining allegations against Hasina of organizing the “mass murder.” of protesters.

At least 173 dead and more than 1,100 detained in Bangladesh