The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Thursday issued a warrant for arrest of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country amidst the August-5th uprising, on a slew of charges that include genocide.
Her Awami League party general secretary Obaidul Quader, also a minister in her cabinet, is among 45 others also wanted by the ICT on charges of committing crimes against humanity, including enforced disappearances, murders and genocide, during her rule in the past one and a half decades.
The tribunal, which had tried war-crime cases during the successive Hasina regimes, ordered law-enforcing agencies to arrest and produce the fugitives before the court by November 18.
A three-member bench of the tribunal, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the orders after hearing two separate petitions placed by the prosecution team.
The two other members of the reconstituted ICT bench are Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and former District and Sessions Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
Earlier in the day, the tribunal started its trial proceedings against the accused on the aforesaid charges of crimes committed during the period up to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement this year that climaxed in the upheaval and fall of the Hasina government in her fourth consecutive term.
At the outset of the court proceedings, Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam submitted his statement bringing allegations against the accused of committing "crimes against humanity", and finally sought issuance of warrants of their arrest.
The Chief Prosecutor also made mention of different amendments brought to the Constitution, statistics of disappearances, murders and cases filed under the ICT Act since 2008, statistics of laundered money and lastly highlighted the use of additional force in the recent student movement.
Mr Islam argued in favour of his statement in the court hearings. Prosecutors Gazi MH Tamim and BM Sultan Mahmud also supported him.
After the court orders, the Chief Prosecutor told reporters that the tribunal asked the law enforcers to produce the accused before it on November 18 this year.
All the names against whom arrest warrant has been issued cannot be known. Even the prosecution team wouldn't disclose all the names, as many of them are still holding different important positions of the state.
However, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Law Minister Anisul Huq, former Social Welfare Minister Dr Dipu Moni, former State Minister for Information Mohammad Ali Arafat, former State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, writer Prof Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and Additional Police Commissioner (DB) of DMP Harun Or Rashid's names are found as the accused.
During the hearing, the Chief Prosecutor described their roles in the last one and a half decades as part of the Sheikh Hasina regime and during the July-August uprising. He commented that these crimes were committed on a wide scale, all over Bangladesh, to substantiate the prosecution plea for arrest of the suspects.
"I appealed to the court that if the accused of these crimes, who are extremely influential, are not arrested, it will be seriously tough to conduct the investigation process. Common people, even family members of the July-August martyrs, do not dare to speak because of their fear. So we applied for the issuance of an arrest warrant in the interest of a fair investigation," the CP submitted before the tribunal.
Granting the appeal the tribunal issued the arrest warrant against Sheikh Hasina and the co-accused, said Mr Islam.
He further said many of the accused were still holding various important positions in the state and that is why their names could not be disclosed.
The tribunal was formed in 2010 for holding trial of charges of crimes against humanity and genocide committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. In the meantime, the tribunal held trial of many of the accused of 1971, and trial of some accused was continuing.
Following a mass uprising of students and people Sheikh Hasina on August 5 this year stepped down as Prime Minister and fled the country. Later, an interim government was formed with Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus as its head. After the formation of the new government, it announced holding trial of the crimes against humanity that took place during the July-August mass uprising.
At least 753 people were killed and thousands more injured during the uprising. So far, over 60 complaints of crimes against humanity and genocide have been filed against Hasina and many of her party adherents with the ICT investigation agency and the prosecution team.
Meanwhile, the Indian foreign office Thursday said Sheikh Hasina didn't change her whereabouts and would stay in India on "security grounds".
And foreign adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh Md Touhid Hossain said the ministry would move as directed by the court for extradition of the ex-PM and other accused.
"I have just been informed of the court order through media. Of course, we will take necessary steps in this regard," he said while responding to a question during a press briefing at the foreign ministry on Thursday.
But he declined to make any comment on the status and whereabouts of the former prime minister but said, "Unofficially we know that she is now in Delhi."
The foreign adviser said that Chief Adviser Dr Mohammed Yunus will not attend the Commonwealth Summit, which is going to take place in Samoa Island, due to his various engagements.
Responding to a question, he said that the government is trying to take steps so that Bangladeshis can obtain visas of some countries without going to India as the visa processing centres of India in Bangladesh are yet to start normal operations.
"For getting visas of some countries, Bangladeshis need to go to India as they do not have missions here," he said.
"Now we are trying to make arrangements so that our people can get the visas of those countries from countries like Vietnam," he noted.
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