Bangladesh court seeks arrest of ex-PM Hasina for ‘crimes against humanity’

Toppled leader is in India, which has bilateral extradition treaty with Bangladesh – though loophole could prevent her return.

A Bangladeshi court has ordered the arrest of self-exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India more than two months ago after being toppled in a student-led uprising.

Mohammad Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), said on Thursday the court had issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 45 others, ordering that they attend court by November 18, according to The Daily Star local newspaper.

“Sheikh Hasina was at the helm of those who committed massacres, killings and crimes against humanity in July to August,” Islam said, referring to a crackdown on student protests, which killed more than 1,000 people, according to the interim Health Ministry.

The student-led movement began with demonstrations demanding the government abolish its practice of reserving a third of civil service jobs for relatives of war veterans, before spiralling into wider protests calling for Hasina’s resignation.

Human rights groups accused the prime minister of using excessive force against protesters, a charge she denied.

After weeks of nationwide unrest, Hasina resigned and fled to India in early August. She was replaced by Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus, who is currently leading the country’s interim government.

Hasina has not been seen in public since leaving Bangladesh. The 77-year-old’s last official whereabouts is a military airbase near India’s capital, New Delhi.

Her presence in India has infuriated Bangladesh, which has revoked Hasina’s diplomatic passport. The two countries have a bilateral extradition treaty which could theoretically