The International Crimes Tribunal has asked the inspector general of police to request Interpol to issue ‘red notices’ to arrest deposed prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and her several other associates.
The tribunal, meanwhile on Tuesday, permitted its investigation agency to question retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan for a day in connection with a case of crimes against humanity, and also issued arrest warrants for four former police officers for alleged crimes against humanity during a protest in the capital’s Jatrabari area.
Hasina, who fled to India following her government’s ouster in a student-people uprising on August 5, along with 46 of her cabinet colleagues, party members, and associates, face arrest warrants issued by the tribunal on October 17.
The International Crimes Tribunal issued the warrants of arrest against them for their alleged involvement in committing crimes against humanity during the student-led uprising in July–August.
The tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder along with its other judges Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired district judge Md Mohitul Haq Anam Chowdhury directed the red notice on Sunday after the inspector general of police informed the court that Hasina and several associates had fled the country to evade prosecution.
Tribunal chief prosecutor Md Tajul Islam confirmed the move, stating, ‘As Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister, remains a fugitive abroad, we requested the IGP to initiate a red notice through Interpol to facilitate her arrest in connection with crimes against humanity.’
‘We have received the tribunal’s order and will proceed with the next steps accordingly,’ said assistant inspector general of police for media and public relations Enamul Haque Sagor.
According to police sources, the inspector general of police will now prepare the necessary documents, including the tribunal’s order to send to Interpol.
Interpol will review the request and supporting materials to determine whether they would issue a red notice for the arrest of Sheikh Hasina and her associates, said the sources.
In a development on Tuesday, the tribunal allowed its investigation agency members to interrogate retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan in its custody for a day in connection with a case of crimes against humanity.
The tribunal granted the permission following the investigation agency’s application moved by Tajul Islam.
The Investigation Agency, International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh is under the home ministry.
Tajul said that there were bundles of complaints of enforced disappearances, killings and other crimes against humanity against Ziaul Ahsan during the 15 years of Awami regime.
Ziaul was the director general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre until he was relieved of his duties on August 6.
He had also served as additional director general of the Rapid Action Battalion, as deputy director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, and director of the National Security Intelligence.
Over a hundred complaints related to crimes against humanity have been filed with the tribunal’s investigation and prosecution teams relating to the violence perpetrated between July 5 and August 5 during the uprising.
Also on Tuesday, the tribunal issued arrest warrants for four former police officers, including former Jatrabari police investigation officer Zakir Hossain, for alleged crimes against humanity during a student-led protest in the capital’s Jatrabari area.
The order came in response to a request from the tribunal’s investigation agency.
The chief prosecutor later informed reporters that the investigation team gathered video evidence implicating the four officers.
The footage reportedly showed one of the officers shooting an injured student protester in the chest while he was being rescued by his fellow protesters.
He declined to reveal the names of the three others accused, citing concerns they might go into hiding.
In an order on October 27, the tribunal directed authorities to present 12 political figures, a former Supreme Court judge, a former bureaucrat, five former police officers, and a dismissed army officer before it.
These 20 individuals were detained following the collapse.
The 12 politicians facing the crimes against humanity charges are former ministers Anisul Huq, Faruk Khan, Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Shahjahan Khan, Kamal Ahmed Mojumder, and Dipu Moni; former advisers to then prime minister Sheikh Hasina Salman F Rahman and Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury; Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon; Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Haque Inu; former textile and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi; and former information and communication technology state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
Retired Appellate Division judge AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and former home secretary Jahangir Alam are also facing crimes against humanity charges.
The court directed to present these 14 individuals before it on November 14.
The five former police officers facing those charges are former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, and former Dhaka district police officers Abdullahhil Kafi, Abul Hasan, Mazharul Islam and Arafat Hossain. The dismissed officer facing the charges is former Major General Ziaul Ahsan.
All these six individuals have been summoned to appear before the tribunal on November 20.
Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam confirmed that the tribunal granted their request to arrest these officials based on preliminary evidence gathered by investigators.
In another order issued also on October 27, the tribunal ordered the arrest of former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman and 16 other former high-ranking police officers in connection with alleged crimes against humanity during the July-August uprising.
The tribunal had directed the police chief to execute the warrants and report on their status by November 18.
Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam requested the tribunal to withhold the names of most of the implicated officers to prevent them from evading arrest.
He, however, identified key figures, including former Rapid Action Battalion officer Harun-Ar-Rashid, former Special Branch chief Monirul Islam, former Detective Branch chief Harun-Or-Rashid, and former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioners Biplob Kumar Sarker and Proloy Kumar Joarder.
Tajul alleged that these high-ranking officers were involved in actions to suppress protesters, a strategy reportedly driven by Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League and its 14-party alliance.
Tajul disclosed that tribunal investigators had provided a list of 70–75 individuals to the prosecution, from which they selected names for arrest warrants based on initial findings.
