Bangladesh court stays arrest warrant against Sheikh Hasina

DHAKA: A Bangladesh court on Monday kept in abeyance the arrest warrant issued against Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina in connection with the killing of five activists of a rival group after a plea from the police which sought more time for investigation in the case.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court put on hold the warrants against former prime minister Hasina, who is currently in London, as well as Mohd Nasim, a former minister in her Cabinet, and Abdul Malik, a low-profile leader of the party.

Police sub inspector Enamul Haq, who is the Investigating officer of the case, filed a plea before Metropolitan Magistrate Mir Ali Reza saying the name of the three was not mentioned in the FIR filed by Jamat-e-Islami party and they need to further investigate the case as names of several others could be included in the chargesheet.

Hasina and her party leaders were originally charged with the murder of five Jamat-e-Islami activists during a political clash on October 28 last year, the day when former Premier Khaleda Zia's BNP-led four-party alliance government relinquished power.