Dhaka: Bangladesh’s interim government announced on Monday that it has formally requested India to extradite ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to face judicial proceedings in Dhaka. The 77-year-old leader has been living in exile in India since August 5, following massive student-led protests that ended her 16-year tenure in power.
Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Adviser to the interim government, confirmed that a diplomatic note, known as a note verbale, was sent to India. “We have sent a note verbale to the Indian government saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process,” Hossain said during a press briefing.
The protests that led to Hasina’s downfall resulted in significant casualties, with interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus alleging that 1,500 people were killed and nearly 20,000 injured during the unrest. In a televised address marking 100 days in office, Yunus declared that the government would pursue justice for the alleged atrocities under Hasina’s administration.
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh has issued arrest warrants for Sheikh Hasina and several members of her former administration, accusing them of “crimes against humanity and genocide.” Home Adviser Jahangir Alam noted that the process to extradite Hasina is actively underway. “We have sent a letter to the foreign ministry regarding her extradition,” he said, adding that an existing extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India could facilitate her return.
Hasina’s extradition has become a focal point in diplomatic discussions between the two nations. Yunus has stressed that political statements made by Hasina during her exile could strain relations between the neighbors. “If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh (government) wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet,” Yunus remarked.
However, Hasina has criticized the Yunus-led interim government, accusing it of “genocide” and failing to protect minority communities, particularly Hindus, since her removal from power. The accusations have added tension to the already sensitive political climate in Bangladesh.
