A court in Bangladesh issues arrest warrants for 17 police officers in mass killing cases

DHAKA, Bangladesh

On Sunday, Bangladesh’s national court issued arrest warrants for 17 police officers, including the former chief of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, on charges of mass killings and crimes against humanity.

The International Crimes Tribunal said it had found prima facie evidence of genocide against all accused officers.

The Dhaka court also announced the arrests of 20 former ministers, lawmakers, police and military officials of the previous government, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

These arrests are linked to similar allegations of mass killings that reportedly occurred during student protests in July and August, which ultimately led to Hasina’s flight to neighboring India on August 5.

After her departure, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed head of the interim government on August 8, meeting the demands of protesting students.

The tribunal instructed the authorities to bring the accused persons to justice by November 20. The order was passed by a three-member tribunal headed by presiding judge Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, following an appeal filed by chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam.

Islam told reporters that investigators had found evidence of “inhumane actions in violation of international law” involving police officers and other officials of the previous Hasina administration.

Earlier, on October 17, the court issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 46 top officials of her government, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and her sister Sheikh Rehana, on similar charges of mass killings and crimes against humanity during the student protests.

Student-led protests demanding political reforms and accountability have left at least 736 people dead and more than 22,000 injured, many with gunshot wounds, in violent clashes with police, other law enforcement agencies and Awami League supporters .

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