A Bangladeshi court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country in August after a nationwide student protest led to her ouster. The warrant was issued by the International Crimes Tribunal, which has charged Hasina with crimes against humanity during her 15-year rule.
Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam confirmed that the court has ordered Hasina to appear on November 18. The former prime minister’s last known location was at a military airbase near New Delhi, India, where she fled after her government was toppled.
Hasina is accused of overseeing widespread human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of political opponents, particularly between July and August of 2024.
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Over 700 people reportedly died in police crackdowns during the protests that eventually led to her removal from power.
In addition to Hasina, an arrest warrant has been issued for Obaidul Quader, the former general secretary of her Awami League party, and 44 others who were allegedly involved in the violent suppression of the protests. Dozens of Hasina’s allies have been detained since her fall from power, as the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus works to restore order in the country.
