Bangladesh: ICT issues show cause notice to Hasina

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Shakil Alam Bulbul, a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) - the banned student wing of Awami League - in an alleged contempt of court case. 

Local media reported that ICT Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim has instructed both individuals to respond to the show cause notice by May 15.

The tribunal, headed by its Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the order on the content of a viral audio clip leaked on social media that featured the former Prime Minister, through which she allegedly interfered in the judicial process and issued threats to the tribunal.

"The investigation agency conducted forensic tests and confirmed the voice belongs to Sheikh Hasina," the ICT prosecutor said.

The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has issued several arrest warrants against the former PM, her family members, and the Awami League supporters after coming to power in August, last year.

Last month, a tribunal of Bangladesh issued an arrest warrant against Hasina and four others, including former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, for an alleged mass killing at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka in 2013.

In January, a special tribunal in Dhaka ordered an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Hasina and 11 other people over incidents of enforced disappearances.

Ironically, the tribunal was established by the government led by Sheikh Hasina under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act to provide for the detection, prosecution and punishment of persons responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other crimes under International Law committed by the Pakistani Army, with the help of their local collaborators, in the territory of Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War.

Analysts reckon the developments as a major political vendetta being pursued by the interim government led by Yunus as several cases were filed against the former PM and her supporters on frivolous grounds immediately after her ouster in August 2024.

A leading voice in the struggle to restore democracy in the country, Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had to flee the country in an ignominious manner and seek refuge in India on August 5.

While addressing the Awami League supporters online from India in February, the ousted Prime Minister accused the Yunus-led interim government of turning the nation into an alleged hub of “terrorism” and “lawlessness”.