A Bangladesh court has issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August after being ousted from power. The court has ordered Hasina to appear on November 18, according to chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh for 15 years, is accused of human rights abuses, including the detention and killing of political opponents. Prosecutor Islam stated that Hasina was responsible for crimes against humanity during the student-led revolution that led to her removal from office.
Hasina, 77, has not been seen publicly since leaving Bangladesh. Her last known location was a military airbase near New Delhi, India. Bangladesh has revoked her diplomatic passport and has an extradition treaty with India, but a clause in the treaty allows for refusal of extradition if the charges are deemed political.
The ICT, established by Hasina’s government in 2010 to investigate war crimes from the 1971 independence conflict, has faced criticism from the United Nations and rights groups for its procedures. Many view it as a tool to target political opponents, and Hasina is facing multiple charges related to the mass killings of protesters.