DHAKA, Jan 21: The interim government of Bangladesh announced on Tuesday that it will persist in its attempts to repatriate the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India and is willing to seek international assistance if required.
Law Adviser Asif Nazrul informed reporters at the Secretariat that a refusal from New Delhi to extradite Hasina would be seen as a breach of the extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India, as reported by the Daily Star newspaper.
Sheikh Hasina, aged 77, has been residing in India since August 5 of last year, when she escaped Bangladesh due to a significant student-led uprising that led to the fall of her Awami League’s (AL) 16-year government. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and various former Cabinet members, advisers, and military and civil officials for allegations of “crimes against humanity and genocide.”
Last year, Dhaka submitted a diplomatic communication to New Delhi requesting Hasina’s extradition.
“We have sent a letter for extradition. Should India decline to extradite Sheikh Hasina, it will clearly violate the extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India,” Nazrul stated.
He added that if such a situation arises, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take essential actions within the international community. Furthermore, the foreign ministry is actively working on the case, and a red alert has been issued, the law adviser mentioned.
“We are exerting all possible efforts. The government will sustain its endeavors to return Sheikh Hasina. If required, we will seek international backing,” Nazrul emphasized.
According to the India-Bangladesh extradition treaty, extradition may be denied if the offense is deemed to have a “political nature.”
Furthermore, a clause states that a person found guilty of an extradition crime may not be extradited unless they have been sentenced to imprisonment or another form of detention for a period exceeding four months.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have become strained following the assumption of power by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
India has voiced concerns regarding the treatment of minorities, particularly Hindus, within Bangladesh.
Recently, Hasina has accused the Yunus-led interim administration of committing “genocide” and failing to safeguard minorities, especially Hindus, since her removal from power. (PTI)
