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The International Crimes Tribunal has issued arrest warrants against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and four others on charges of “massacring” Hifazat-e Islam members during a rally in Motijheel in 2013.
A three-member tribunal bench led by Chairman Golam Mortuza Mozumder issued the order on Wednesday, said prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud.
The four others accused in the case are former state minister for home affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, former inspector general of police Shahidul Hoque, former army officer Ziaul Ahsan and former police officer Molla Nazrul Islam.
They are currently behind bars and the court ordered authorities to produce them based on a warrant, Mahmud said.
Hifazat-e Islam was formed back in 2010 in opposition to women’s development and education policies.
However, the organisation came to the forefront with their demands to punish “atheist bloggers” after the Ganajagaran Mancha demanded capital punishment for the 1971 war criminals in 2013.
The rally in Motijheel was marked by violence and rioting as clashes between police and the activists continued throughout the day. Later that night, they were cleared out from Motijheel in an operation by security forces.
According to a report by a human rights organisation called “Odhikar”, as many as 61 people were killed during the raid in the Shapla Chattar area.
However, police claim that no one was killed during the crackdown, and only 11 died amid the day-long conflict.
The tribunal also sent Nayek Sohel Mia to prison on charges of burning bodies in Savar’s Ashulia during the student-led July Uprising.
Mahmud said: “Nayek Md Sohel Mia was arrested after the tribunal issued a warrant against 10 individuals yesterday [Wednesday].”