Court in Bangladesh issues arrest warrant against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over death of demonstrators

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A special court in Bangladesh issued arrest warrants Thursday against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 45 others, including her close aides, for crimes against humanity during a student-led uprising in July and August, she said urging people to flee the country, a prosecutor said.

Prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud said the Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal issued the arrest warrants in response to two petitions filed by the prosecution.

He said the tribunal chairman Golam Mortuza Majumdar issued the orders in the presence of other judges.

Hasina fled to India on August 5 after weeks of violent protests in which hundreds of people died. Prosecutors said in the petitions that Hasina, her close associates and security officials were responsible for the killing of the protesters and others.