B’desh tribunal extends deadline for probe into charges against Hasina

Dhaka, Dec 17: Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal on Tuesday extended the deadline for completing the investigation into the crimes against humanity charges filed against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina by two months, a media report said.
A three-member bench, led by its Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Mazumder, passed the order and also extended the deadline until February 18 to complete the investigation in a case filed against Hasina and 45 others, including former ministers, for genocide during the July-August student-led protests, The Daily Star newspaper reported.
Hasina, 77, fled to India on August 5 after unprecedented anti-government protests.
On August 5, the student-led Monsoon Revolution under the banner of “Students Against Discrimination” succeeded in toppling Hasina’s 16-year regime, propelled by fervent demands for change and accountability.
The newspaper said that probe reports for two cases were scheduled for completion today but the investigation agency sought more time, according to the prosecution.
Former agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque was shown as arrested in the genocide case on Tuesday besides 15 high profile individuals who were shown arrested in the case earlier. (PTI)