Bangladesh court issues arrest warrant for Sheikh Hasina over student deaths

Bangladesh's Crimes Tribunal on Thursday issued arrest warrants against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 45 others, including top Awami League leaders, in connection with alleged crimes against humanity during the recent mass student movement.

The tribunal, led by its chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, passed the orders after the prosecution filed two petitions with the tribunal, seeking arrest warrants against them, Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam was quoted as saying by the Daily Star.

The tribunal also directed the authorities concerned to produce the 46, including Hasina, before it after arresting them by November 18, he said.

In August, Bangladesh's interim government said that it would try those involved in the killings during the recent mass movement of students against the Hasina-led government in the Crimes Tribunal.

Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government, taking the death toll to more than 600 since the massive protest by students against a controversial quota system in government jobs first started in mid-July.