Bangladesh has requested Interpol to issue a red notice for the arrest of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in connection with the killings of hundreds of protesters during a mass uprising against her government. The call for Hasina’s arrest comes after an interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, took power following Hasina’s flight in August due to widespread student protests that toppled the Awami League-led administration.
According to BM Sultan Mahmud, a prosecutor at Bangladesh’s tribunal, the interim government has written to Interpol through the police chief, seeking the global police organization’s assistance in arresting Hasina and her loyalists, who are currently fugitives. Asif Nazrul, the interim government’s law advisor, emphasized that those responsible for the indiscriminate killings during the protests would be brought back from wherever they may be hiding.
A red notice issued by Interpol is a global alert to law enforcement agencies worldwide, informing them of a fugitive wanted by a member country. It is based on an arrest warrant issued in the fugitive’s home country. However, Interpol’s red notices do not obligate member countries to arrest the individual, as they can apply their own laws in deciding whether to detain the person.
Bangladesh’s request follows an arrest warrant issued last month by a Bangladeshi court for Hasina’s involvement in the mass killings of student protesters in July and August. The prosecution has also sought arrest warrants for 50 other individuals believed to have been involved in the violence during the protests against Hasina’s government. The court has scheduled a hearing for November 18 to present Hasina, should she be apprehended.
With this move, Bangladesh is intensifying its pursuit of accountability for the deadly crackdown during the uprising.
