A special court in Bangladesh has issued arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 45 individuals, including her close associates, in connection with crimes against humanity linked to a student-led protest movement that took place in July and August. This uprising ultimately compelled Hasina to leave Bangladesh, a prosecutor revealed on Thursday.

Prosecutor B.M. Sultan Mahmud noted that the International Crimes Tribunal, located in Dhaka, acted on two petitions brought forward by the prosecution team, which led to the issuance of these warrants. The tribunal’s head, Golam Mortuza Majumdar, along with fellow judges, was present during the announcement of the orders.

The protests, characterized by escalating violence, forced Hasina to flee to India on August 5, after a period of unrest that resulted in the deaths of hundreds. In the petitions, prosecutors asserted that Hasina, along with her close aides and various security agencies, bore responsibility for the violence toward the demonstrators and other casualties.