Dhaka: Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has issued a second arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in self-exile in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the warrant was issued by the tribunal’s chairman, Ghulam Mortuza Mojumdar, following a prosecution plea against Sheikh Hasina and 11 others. The case pertains to enforced disappearances during her tenure as Prime Minister.
The Inspector General of Police Bangladesh has been instructed to arrest the individuals named in the warrant, including Hasina, and present them before the tribunal on February 12. The charges relate to complaints of enforced disappearances affecting several hundred people.
This is the second arrest warrant against Hasina, who left for India after her government was overthrown in August 2024 following significant anti-government protests. Among those charged is her former defense advisor, Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, who is in custody, and former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, who is currently at large.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam of the ICT did not reveal the identities of most accused, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. He noted that the previous regime allegedly fostered a culture of state-sponsored enforced disappearances, with involvement from agencies such as the Rapid Action Battalion, the Detective Branch, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit, and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.
For over 15 years, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have instilled fear in Bangladesh, with thousands abducted and many never seen again. Last month, the Bangladesh government formally requested Hasina’s extradition from India, which acknowledged the request but did not comment further.
The first arrest warrant against Hasina was issued on October 17 for charges related to genocide and crimes against humanity tied to the protests and uprising in July and August. Since her government’s fall, over 60 cases have been filed against her and senior officials, alleging enforced disappearances, killings, and other crimes.