Arrest warrants issued for Hasina, others in Bangladesh enforced disappearance cases
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Dhaka: Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and several senior security officials in connection with alleged enforced disappearances during the previous Awami League government, according to local media reports.
Earlier in the day, the ICT prosecution filed two sets of formal charges against Hasina and her security and defense advisor Tarique Ahmed Siddique.
One charge accuses Hasina, Tarique and 15 others, including senior officers of the Rapid Action Battalion, of five counts of enforced disappearances and torture at the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) Cell. Another charge names Hasina, Tarique and 13 others in connection with disappearances and torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), reported Bengali daily Jugantor.
The cases also name several former officers of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), including lieutenant generals and major generals. In addition, formal charges were brought against Border Guard Bangladesh officer Lt Col Redwan Ahmed and three others over the Rampura killings during the July 2024 demonstrations.
The tribunal’s move comes amid a broader crackdown on Awami League leaders and supporters under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. On Tuesday, the ICT’s investigative agency announced a formal probe into the Awami League as a political party over alleged crimes against humanity during last year’s protests.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam confirmed the development, saying an investigation officer had already been appointed. He had earlier hinted at such an inquiry during a press briefing on October 5.
Analysts have described the tribunal’s actions as part of a political vendetta by the Yunus regime, noting that multiple cases were filed against Hasina, Awami League members and officials soon after her removal from power in August 2024, many of which they argue rest on weak or politically motivated grounds.