An arrest warrant has been issued against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in connection with charges of crimes against humanity during last year’s July–August crackdown. On Sunday, June 1, the International Crimes Tribunal accepted the charges and ordered their arrest. Notably, this is the first time in Bangladesh that a trial has been broadcast live on national television.

The prosecution submitted formal charges naming Sheikh Hasina as the key instigator in the case, along with Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. While Abdullah is currently in custody, Hasina and Kamal are reported to be on the run.

According to prosecution sources, a detailed 8,500-page charge sheet has been filed against Sheikh Hasina, covering five specific allegations. Investigators submitted their report on May 12, directly linking Hasina to the orchestration of the mass killings that occurred during the student-led uprising.

Previously, on February 18, the tribunal ordered the investigation into Hasina’s role in the violence to be concluded by April 20. The tribunal, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar and two other judges, issued the directive following a motion by the prosecution, led by Additional Chief Prosecutor Mizanul Islam.

In total, the tribunal is handling charges against 46 individuals, including Hasina and senior Awami League leaders like Obaidul Quader, related to the government’s deadly suppression of anti-discrimination protests. The crackdown claimed an estimated 1,500 lives, with allegations of planned and systematic violence against unarmed students and civilians.