Bangladesh: Tribunal tells investigators to complete probe against ousted premier Hasina by next month
DHAKA – A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Monday gave investigators one month to complete the probe on ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her close aides, who face charges of crimes against humanity after hundreds of people were killed in a mass uprising this summer.
Golam Mortuza Majumdar, the chief judge of the three-member International Crimes Tribunal, set December 17 as the deadline for investigators to complete their work. This decision came after prosecutors requested additional time for the probe.
Mohammed Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor of the tribunal, told the judges during Monday’s hearing that they were working in line with an extradition treaty signed with India to facilitate Hasina’s return.
After the hearing on Monday, the tribunal’s head judge ordered authorities to send the 13 suspects to jail, pending investigation.
Additionally, the chief prosecutor of the tribunal has sought help from Interpol through the country’s police chief to arrest Hasina.
Sheikh Hasina has been living in exile in India since Aug. 5, when she fled the country amid the student-led protests.
On Oct. 17, the Dhaka-based tribunal issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 45 others, including former Cabinet ministers and advisers, as well as military and civil officials.
The country is now being run by an interim government headed by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus.
On Sunday, Yunus said that around 1,500 people died in the protests, and as many as 3,500 may have been forcibly abducted during Hasina’s 15-year rule.
“Every day, new names are being added to the list of martyrs,” he added in an address to the nation marking 100 days of the interim government.
