Dhaka: The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim A Khan, met with Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka to discuss pressing issues concerning the Rohingya crisis and accountability for crimes against humanity. The talks focused on the humanitarian efforts for the Rohingyas, the situation in Myanmar, and ongoing justice initiatives for atrocities committed during the July-August mass uprising. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ICC prosecutor informed Professor Yunus that his office has formally sought an arrest warrant against Min Aung Hlaing, the chief of the Myanmar military, for crimes against humanity related to the treatment of the Rohingya minority. Khan also supported the Chief Adviser's call for a special global conference on the Rohingya crisis, which the UN General Assembly has agreed to hold in 2025. The conference aims to bring together international stakeholders to seek a durable solution, focusing on the plight of Ro hingyas and their children in Bangladeshi camps. Professor Yunus expressed concerns over the recent influx of more Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh and developments in Myanmar. He reiterated his call for a safe zone inside Myanmar's Rakhine state, guaranteed by the UN, to aid displaced people and address the humanitarian crisis. In a significant revelation, Professor Yunus announced the Interim Government's intention to pursue charges of crimes against humanity against the Sheikh Hasina regime at the ICC. These charges pertain to the massacre during the July-August mass uprising and numerous enforced disappearances during Hasina's nearly 16-year rule. The ICC prosecutor expressed willingness to cooperate with the International Crimes Tribunal, a Bangladesh court, which has issued an arrest warrant against Sheikh Hasina and members of her political party. The meeting was attended by Khaliliur Rahman, High Representative on Rohingya Affairs, Lamiya Morshed, principal coordinator of the SDGs affairs, and Ria z Hamidullah, an additional secretary of the foreign ministry. Earlier, Rahman hosted a luncheon for Prosecutor Khan and his ICC team, highlighting Bangladesh's commitment as one of the first Asian signatories to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC and expressing hope for deepening cooperation.
