A Bangladesh court has issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in exile since she fled to India in August following her removal from power during a student-led revolution.
The warrant was issued on Thursday, with Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam calling it a “remarkable day” for Bangladesh.
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Hasina, who ruled the country for 15 years, faces allegations of widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and mass detentions of her political opponents.
The court ordered her arrest in connection with the deadly crackdown on protesters that led to her ousting.
According to the prosecutor, Hasina is accused of being responsible for massacres and crimes against humanity during the uprising in July and August.
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The arrest warrant also targets the former general secretary of her Awami League party, Obaidul Quader, and 44 other individuals whose names have not been disclosed.
Since her government fell, many of Hasina’s allies have been detained, and key figures in her regime have been removed from their posts.
Despite her disappearance from public view, Hasina’s last known location was reported to be a military airbase near New Delhi, India.
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The Bangladeshi government has revoked her diplomatic passport and may seek her extradition under an existing treaty with India.
However, the treaty includes a clause allowing India to refuse extradition if the charges are deemed political in nature.
The arrest warrant comes as victims of the violent crackdown, including family members of those killed, call for accountability.
Sumaiya Sarkar, the sister of a protester who died during the unrest, expressed hope that Hasina would face justice, stating, “We are looking forward to a fair trial.”
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Sheikh Hasina was replaced by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who now leads a transitional government.
Yunus, known for his work in microfinance, has acknowledged the severe challenges ahead in restoring Bangladesh’s democratic institutions and repairing a broken system of public administration.
