Guwahati: The sudden drive out from the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka was not enough for the consecutive fourth time premier of Bangladesh as more troubles are waiting for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s celebrated daughter Sheikh Hasina. Taking refuge in neighbouring Bharat, the ousted premier now faces a number of police complaints in her country as being a conspirator to kill hundreds of civilians including young students from 1 July till her hurried departure on 5 August 2024 from Dhaka. So her immediate return, as the Awami League chief reportedly expected, seems to be bleak for the time being.
The interim government under the leadership of Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has decided to launch a probe into the killing of nearly 600 people during the mass uprising against the Hasina-led government. Bangladesh apex court’s bar association has already urged New Delhi to arrest Hasina and her accompanying sister Rehana to arrest and send back to Dhaka for trials. The forum claimed that protesters were violently targeted by the law enforcement agencies along with the workers of Awami League and its affiliates namely Chatra League and Juba League.
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The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which was redefined by Hasina herself with an aim to adjudicate the war criminals of 1971 liberation movement against the then West Pakistani forces, started an investigation against Hasina along with a few others with charges relating to genocide during the anti government job-quota protest demonstration that turned into overthrowing Hasina movement across the south Asian nation. In a dramatic situation that unfolded in Dhaka, Hasina had to resign and take temporary shelter in India, where no government across the world is yet to offer her a safe passage.
The petition at ICT against Hasina and some of her trusted associates in the ministry and party was submitted by one Md Bulbul Kabir (father of Arif Ahmed Siam, the IX standard student killed during the job quota reform movement), accusing Hasina and some others of ordering a violent crackdown on the protestors resulted in the killing a number of students. Earlier, the relative of Faizul Islam Rajon (student of Dhaka Model Degree College) lodged a complaint against the authorities for his death due to police firing during the movement. One more case was lodged following the killing of a businessman identified as Abu Said.
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Now a fact-finding team from the United Nations is expected to arrive in Dhaka by next few days to investigate alleged atrocities on Bangladesh civilians including students and young people during the anti-Hasina movement in July and August first week. A peaceful protest demonstration demanding reform in the job quota system turned violent and wide spread across the country. A source close to the interim government head Prof Yunus revealed that the UN team will come next week to Bangladesh. It’s the first time since Bangladesh was born in 1971, an UN fact-finding delegation is coming to the Muslim majority nation of 170 million people.
The prime opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which boycotted the last general elections on 7 January this year, also demanded an impartial investigation into all the killings during the unrest. Led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the BNP even insisted on a probe to be conducted by the United Nations to identify the culprits involved with the massacre of agitating students and young people. Arguing that a government-sponsored (read Hasina regime in Dhaka) genocide should be probed by an impartial investigation agency of international standards, the BNP leadership urged the functioning interim government of Bangladesh, which was sworn in on 8 August, to endorse the inquiry.
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There are growing speculations that Dhaka will ask New Delhi to send back Hasina to face trials in her country. Giving shelter to Hasina after her departure, the Indian Union government may find it embarrassing to deal with the situation, if the caretaker government demands her extradition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 78th Independence Day speech to the nation on 15 August mentioned about the situation in Bangladesh. The saffron premier expressed concern over the violent attacks on Hindus and other minority communities during the unrest and hoped that Bangladesh will return to normalcy soon. Modi however did not talk anything about Hasina getting shelter in the country. Days back, Modi also conveyed best wishes to Prof Yunus for his new responsibilities.
(Nava Thakuria is a senior Indian journalist who contributes to various media outlets including print and digital platforms of India and across the world.)
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