Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India after hundreds of people were killed in anti-government protests earlier this year.

A court in Bangladesh has issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on charges of "crimes against humanity." The 77-year-old ex-leader fled to India in August after being ousted by a student-led uprising.

The chief prosecutor of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal informed reporters on Thursday that the warrant mandates Hasina's appearance in court on November 18, according to the AFP news agency.

The unrest, which began as demonstrations against public-sector job quotas, escalated into a wider rebellion against Hasina's government. Violent clashes in July between protesters, police, and pro-government groups resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said, "Sheikh Hasina was at the helm of those who committed massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity in July to August."

India and Bangladesh have a bilateral extradition treaty that could lead to Hasina's return to Bangladesh for trial. However, the treaty contains a clause allowing extradition to be refused if the offense is considered to have a "political character."

Hasina served as prime minister for 15 years, a period marked by extensive human rights abuses, including the extrajudicial killings of thousands of her political opponents.

Following the widespread protests, Hasina resigned and fled to India in early August, with her last known location being a military airbase near New Delhi.

Currently, Bangladesh is under the leadership of a caretaker government headed by 84-year-old Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, who has been tasked with restoring democratic institutions and overseeing the preparation for upcoming parliamentary elections.