New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic escalation, Bangladesh’s interim government has formally requested India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, convicted in absentia of crimes against humanity amid the deadly 2024 student protests that toppled her regime.
The extradition plea, dispatched via a diplomatic note through the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, comes just days after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced the 78-year-old Hasina and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death on 17 November. The duo was found guilty of orchestrating mass killings during the July-August unrest, which claimed around 1,400 lives according to the United Nations Human Rights Office.
Hasina, who fled to India on 5 August 2024 following the collapse of her Awami League government, and Kamal, believed to be in hiding there, were tried without their presence.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Tauhid Hossain confirmed the letter was sent two days ago, marking the second such request after an initial one in December last year. This follows Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assuming charge as Chief Adviser on 8 August 2024, at the behest of protesting students, to steer the nation towards stability.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has acknowledged the tribunal’s verdict, reaffirming New Delhi’s commitment to Bangladesh’s peace, democracy, and inclusivity. “India has taken note of this decision,” an MEA spokesperson stated. “As a neighbouring country, we are dedicated to constructive dialogue with all stakeholders.” The MEA spokesperson has not indicated a timeline for a response on extradition, thereby leaving the decision in India’s hands amidst bilateral sensitivities.
The move underscores lingering fallout from the protests, with Dhaka intensifying efforts to hold leaders accountable. As Yunus’s administration prepares for elections, this request could strain India-Bangladesh ties, testing the extradition treaty’s provisions on political offences.