Dhaka: A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Thursday formally indicted ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on charges of crimes against humanity linked to last year’s mass student uprising that claimed hundreds of lives, news agency AP reported.

The three-member panel, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, also indicted former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, according to the report.

The five charges against them relate to the violent suppression of the protests. Hasina and Khan are being tried in absentia.

The tribunal, which began proceedings on June 5, had issued a summons for Hasina to appear.

Authorities published public notices after she failed to comply. Hasina has been living in exile in India since August 5, 2024.

Bangladesh’s interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has formally asked India to extradite her, but New Delhi has yet to respond.

Khan is also believed to be in India.

Al-Mamun, who is in custody, was present in court and pleaded guilty.

He told the tribunal he intends to support the prosecution during the trial.

The prosecution submitted a leaked audio clip allegedly featuring Hasina, along with other documentary evidence.

The tribunal has scheduled August 3 for the prosecution’s opening statement and August 4 for recording witness testimonies.