Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Sunday indicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on charges including mass murder. These charges stem from her alleged role in the violent crackdown on student-led protests that occurred last year. The indictment also includes two other individuals: then home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and then inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.

The proceedings on Sunday marked the commencement of Sheikh Hasina's trial in absentia, occurring nearly ten months after her government was ousted following the widespread protests. The three-judge ICT bench stated, "We do hereby take into cognizance the charges," after the prosecution formally accused Hasina and her associates of attempting to suppress the protests through brutal force. In conjunction with the indictment, the tribunal issued a fresh arrest warrant for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, the third accused, is already in custody and will stand trial in person.

A notable aspect of these proceedings was that they were broadcast live on television, a first in Bangladesh's history. Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted on August 5 of the previous year due to the agitation, faces multiple cases in Bangladesh. The ICT-BD had earlier issued an arrest warrant against Hasina, and the interim government had formally requested her repatriation from India via a diplomatic note. New Delhi has acknowledged receipt of this note but has made no further comments on the matter.

The crackdown on the protests last year led to the arrest of many senior leaders and officials from Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party and government. They face charges similar to Hasina's, including mass murder, related to the events of the July-August protests last year. According to a report by the UN rights office, an estimated 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 15 of the preceding year, with violence continuing even after the fall of Hasina's Awami League regime.