DHAKA – A special court in Bangladesh told investigators on Monday they have a month to complete their work on the former exile. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her close associates, who face charges of crimes against humanity after hundreds of people were killed in a mass riot this summer.

Golam Mortuza Majumdar, the chief judge of the three-member International Criminal Court, set December 17 for investigators to finish their work, while the court heard updates from police on Monday about what the country’s security agencies have been doing to arrest Hasina and her close aides. .

The decision came after prosecutors asked for more time for the investigation.

Mohammed Tajul Islam, the court’s chief prosecutor, told judges during Monday’s hearing that they were working under an extradition treaty previously signed with India to make Hasina’s return possible.

Hasina has been living in exile in India since August 5, when she fled the country amid student-led protests. The Dhaka court issued on October 17 arrest warrants for Hasina and 45 othersincluding former cabinet ministers, advisers and military and civilian officials. The country is now ruled by a caretaker government led by Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

At least 13 people, including a former law minister and a businessman who was Hasina’s private sector adviser, appeared before the court on Monday, said BM Sultan Mahmud, the court’s prosecutor. A former Cabinet minister was not brought to court because he was in custody for police questioning in a separate case. Six more people will appear on Wednesday, court officials said. At least 20 suspects have been arrested in the case.

The court will also seek updates from the police on their progress in arresting the other suspects, including Hasina.

After Monday’s hearing, the court’s chief judge ordered authorities to send all 13 suspects to prison pending investigation.

The chief prosecutor of the court has already asked for help from interpolate through the country’s police chief to arrest Hasina. On Sunday, Yunus said in an address to the nation that his administration would seek extradition of Hasina from India.

Authorities say hundreds of people were killed during the uprising in July and August, mostly by security forces trying to quell initial protests over government jobs. The violence escalated as the protests turned into an anti-government movement with more bloodshed, ending Hasina’s 15-year rule. Hasina too had searched earlier a crime investigation.