ICT chief prosecutor urges IGP to take action on Interpol Red Notices for Hasina and other fugitives

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam has requested Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Mainul Islam to take necessary measures for Interpol to issue a Red Notice for the arrest and repatriation of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives. Awami League leaders.

According to the information shared by the ICT prosecution team today (November 12), Tajul has sent an official letter to the IGP regarding this issue.

This development comes after Adviser on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Asif Nazrul said on Sunday that the interim government would urge Interpol to issue a Red Notice to bring back fugitives, including Hasina, for trial at the ICT in the July-August genocide cases . .

“Very soon, a Red Notice will be published through Interpol. These fugitive fascists will be brought back wherever they are hiding in the world and will be held accountable in court,” he told reporters.

The newly created ICT began its journey by issuing arrest warrants in two separate cases on October 17 against Hasina and 45 others on charges of genocide committed during the student movement against discrimination and the mass uprising in July and August this year.

The court also ordered the law enforcement agencies to arrest all the accused and present them to the court by November 18, the date set for the next hearing on the cases.

Others wanted include Awami League General Secretary and former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Hasina’s son and former ICT advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy, former law minister Anisul Huq, former liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal is included. , former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, former minister of state for posts, telecommunications and information technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak (who is already in custody in a murder case) and writer Prof Zafar Iqbal.

The court refused to disclose the other names “in the interest of the investigation”.

At the time, Attorney General Tajul said that the names of everyone involved in the arrest warrant could not be released for investigation purposes. Search warrants were issued based on the government’s request and evidence subsequently presented to ICT.

Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 amid the violent student-led nationwide mass uprising that ended the 15-year rule of the Awami League government.

While the ongoing trial marks an important step towards justice for the crimes allegedly committed during the July-August revolution, the international community is following the developments closely.

A total of 56 genocide complaints against Sheikh Hasina were lodged with the ICT by October 17. Cabinet members, leaders of coalition parties, several senior police officials and leaders of Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League are also accused in these complaints.

By 4 November, the ICT prosecution team had received a total of 80 complaints, many of them related to murders committed during the July-August uprising; crimes against humanity, including enforced disappearances in the last 15 years; and the reported genocide in the capital’s Shapla Chattar on May 5, 2013.