Thousands march in Bangladesh calling for ousted prime minister’s prosecution

Thousands of people led by students rallied in the Bangladeshi capital on Tuesday, calling for the prosecution of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and those responsible for hundreds of deaths in a mass uprising against her government in July.

The Student Movement Against Discrimination organized a “March for Unity” at the central Shaheed Minar, a national monument in Dhaka. Protesters chanted slogans calling for Hasina’s trial and the banning of her Awami League party.

Hasina fled to India on August 5 after weeks of violence in which, on her government’s orders, hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured. The revolt ended the 15-year rule of the country’s longest-serving prime minister, who began a fourth consecutive term in January after elections boycotted by the main opposition parties.

Last week, Bangladesh sent an official request for Hasina’s extradition to India. He faces multiple lawsuits over the deaths of protesters, including some for crimes against humanity.

“Since August 5, we have no more enemies in Bangladesh. Our only enemy is the Awami League,” said Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the student movement, addressing the crowd.

The protesters also called on the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to issue an official proclamation by January 15 detailing the events of the uprising.

Student leaders want the proclamation to include two key demands: a new constitution after the 1972 charter, which was passed under Hasa’s father, was scrapped, and a ban on the Awami League party.

Hasina’s Awami League ruled Bangladesh for 15 years, from 2009.

The Dhaka-based International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Hasina and her close associates, and the government has sought the help of international police organization Interpol in seeking her arrest.

Speaking from the US, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, questioned the credibility of the tribunal and called the allegations against her a “political witch hunt”.

Meanwhile, the interim government has vowed to try Hasina and others in her administration for alleged crimes that include the deaths of protesters and called on the United Nations to help investigate the killings.

Hasina also called for an investigation, saying many of the deaths may have involved people outside the security agencies.