Dhaka
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and several senior security officials over alleged enforced disappearances and torture during her tenure, local media reported.
The ICT prosecution filed two formal charges against Hasina and her security and defence advisor, Tarique Ahmed Siddique. One charge accuses them and 15 others, including former Rapid Action Battalion officials, of five counts of enforced disappearances and torture at the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) Cell.
A second charge lists five counts against 13 people, including Hasina and Tarique, for alleged enforced disappearances and torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), according to Jugantor, a leading Bengali daily. Several former senior officers of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) were also named.
Charges were filed against Lt Col Redwan Ahmed of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and three others for their alleged role in the Rampura killings during July 2024 protests.
These actions follow a broader crackdown on Awami League leaders and supporters by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. On Tuesday, the ICT investigative agency opened a formal probe into the Awami League as a political party over alleged crimes against humanity during July protests. Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam confirmed the investigation and said an officer has been appointed.
Critics view these moves as a political vendetta by the Yunus regime, noting that several cases against Hasina, party members, and her officials have been filed on questionable grounds since her ouster in August 2024.
These latest developments deepen political tensions in Bangladesh and raise concerns over judicial impartiality amid growing political unrest.