An international war crimes tribunal has issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, following the acceptance of five charges of crimes against humanity related to efforts to suppress the July 2024 uprising.
The tribunal also ordered that another accused, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun—former Inspector General of Police and currently in custody—be presented before the court on June 16.
Prosecutors have been asked to submit a progress report on efforts to apprehend Hasina and Kamal by the same date.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumder, along with Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired District Judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, passed the order on Monday.
The prosecution formally submitted a 134-page charge document to the tribunal, marking the first time a legal process has officially begun against the ousted Prime Minister.
Notably, this tribunal was originally established under Hasina’s own government to try 1971 war criminals, making the moment particularly significant. For the first time in the country’s history, proceedings were broadcast live on national television.
Following a detailed investigation, the tribunal’s investigative agency submitted its report on May 12, accusing Hasina of being the ‘mastermind, commander, and chief instigator’ behind the brutal incidents of July–August.
The charges relate to alleged acts of mass repression and violence in response to the failed uprising, which left hundreds dead and thousands detained.
This development marks a historic and unprecedented turn in the political and judicial landscape of the country.
