Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued a second arrest warrant against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accusing her of involvement in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during her time in office. The arrest warrant, issued on January 6, 2025, also names 12 others, including high-ranking military and police officials. The tribunal has set February 12, 2025, as the deadline for their arrests.
Among those accused alongside Hasina are Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique, former defence advisor, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, and Ziaul Ahsan, former Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC). They face charges of extrajudicial killings and the forced disappearance of political opponents during Hasina’s rule.
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This is the second arrest warrant for Hasina, following an earlier one in October 2024 related to alleged crimes against humanity during the student-led protests against her government. Hasina, who fled to India in August 2024 after being ousted from power, is now sought for extradition by Bangladesh authorities, who have requested help from Interpol and approached India for her return.
Hasina’s government faced widespread protests in mid-2024 over a controversial quota system for government jobs, leading to violent clashes that resulted in over 600 deaths. Bangladesh’s interim government has vowed to hold those responsible accountable, with proceedings currently underway in the International Crimes Tribunal.
