Bangladesh tribunal will hear updates from police on their moves to arrest ousted premier Hasina

DHAKA: A special tribunal in Bangladesh will hear updates from police on Monday about what the country's security agencies have done to arrest ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her close aides who face charges over hundreds of deaths in a mass uprising this summer.

Hasina has been living in exile in India since August 5 when she fled the country amid the student-led protests. The Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal on October 17 issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 45 others including former Cabinet ministers, advisors and military and civil officials. The country is now being run by an interim government headed by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus.

At least 14 people, including a former law minister and a businessman who was Hasina’s private-sector advisor, will appear before the tribunal on Monday, according to BM Sultan Mahmud, a prosecutor at the tribunal. Another six people will appear on Wednesday, tribunal officials said. At least 20 suspects have been arrested in the case.

The tribunal will also seek updates from police on their progress in arresting the other suspects, including Hasina.

The chief prosecutor of the tribunal has already sought help from Interpol through the country’s police chief to arrest Hasina. On Sunday, Yunus said in an address to the nation that his administration would seek Hasina's extradition from India.

Authorities say hundreds of people were killed during the uprising in July and August mainly by security agents seeking to quell the initial protests over government jobs. The violence intensified as the protests morphed into an anti-government movement with more bloodshed, ending Hasina’s 15-year rule. Hasina had also earlier sought an investigation into the killings.

By RSS/AFP