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

DHAKA, Bangladesh

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

The International Crime Tribunal stated that 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 ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

These arrests are related to similar allegations of mass killings that allegedly took place during the student-led protests in July and August, which ultimately led to Hasina fleeing to neighboring India on August 5.

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

The tribunal has ordered authorities to bring the suspects to trial before November 20. This order was issued by the three-member tribunal headed by chairman Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumdar, after an appeal by the chief prosecutor, Mohammad Tajul Islam.

Islam told reporters that investigators had found evidence of “inhumane activities that violate international laws” involving police officers and other officials of the previous Hasina government.

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

The student-led protests, demanding political reforms and accountability, killed at least 736 people and injured more than 22,000, many with gunshot wounds, in violent clashes with police, other law enforcement officers and Awami League supporters.

The Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Contact us for subscription options.