Bangladesh Requests Extradition of Sheikh Hasina from India
Bangladesh has formally asked India to extradite Sheikh Hasina to face judicial proceedings following her escape during protests.
Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, India, Protests, Nobel Laureate, Muhammad Yunus
Dhaka: Bangladesh has officially asked India to send back former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She fled to New Delhi about five months ago during some intense protests.
Hasina took off in a helicopter as thousands of demonstrators headed toward the presidential palace in Dhaka back on August 5. Since then, she’s been living near the Indian parliament.
Touhid Hossain, who advises on foreign affairs in Bangladesh, mentioned that they’ve sent a diplomatic note to India. However, he didn’t go into details about the judicial process they’re talking about.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is pushing for Hasina’s return. They want her to face charges related to alleged crimes against humanity during her time in power.
In November, the Yunus government revealed that around 1,500 people lost their lives during the protests that led to the fall of Hasina’s government. They also mentioned that about 3,500 people might have been forcibly taken during her rule.
The protests started as a student-led movement against job quotas and quickly turned into some of the worst unrest since Bangladesh became independent in 1971. Police were accused of firing on protesters.
Yunus has promised to seek justice for those affected by what he calls the “autocratic regime’s wrath.” He’s determined to prosecute all crimes from the past 15 years.
The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and her close associates. The government is also seeking Interpol’s help to catch her.
Meanwhile, Hasina’s son, who lives in the US, criticized the extradition request. He questioned the fairness of the tribunal handling the case against her.
He described the tribunal as a “kangaroo court” and claimed it’s part of a political witch hunt against Hasina’s party, the Awami League.
He also pointed out that while they’re pursuing Hasina, there are serious human rights abuses happening in Bangladesh, including extrajudicial killings and wrongful imprisonments.
The Indian foreign ministry confirmed they received the extradition request but didn’t share any further details. Relations between India and Bangladesh have been tense since Hasina sought refuge in New Delhi.
Interestingly, this request came just two weeks after India’s foreign secretary visited Bangladesh, where both nations expressed a desire to improve their relationship.