Dhaka: The Mohammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh has again called upon India to extradite ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and that Dhaka will take it up internationally if New Delhi does not do so. It also cited a potential violation of the extradition treaty between the two nations if Hasina is not sent back.
Law Adviser Asif Nazrul informed reporters at the Secretariat on Tuesday that New Delhi’s refusal to return Hasina would amount to a breach of the extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India, the Daily Star newspaper reported.
Hasina, 77, has been living in India since 5 August last year after fleeing Bangladesh amid a massive student-led protest that ended her Awami League’s (AL) 16-year rule. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh has issued arrest warrants for Hasina, along with several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials, on charges of “crimes against humanity and genocide.”
Last year, Dhaka sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi requesting Hasina’s extradition.
“We have written a letter for extradition. If India does not extradite Sheikh Hasina, it will be a clear violation of the extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India,” Nazrul said.
In such a scenario, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take the necessary steps to address the issue within the international community, the law adviser stated. He added that the ministry is actively working on the matter and has already issued a red alert.
“We are doing everything in our power. The government will persist in its efforts to bring Sheikh Hasina back. If required, we will seek international support,” said Nazrul.
Under the India-Bangladesh extradition treaty, extradition can be denied if the offence is deemed to be of a “political character.” Another provision specifies that a person convicted of an extradition offence cannot be extradited unless they have been sentenced to imprisonment or detention for a period of four months or more.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus came to power. India has raised concerns about attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.
In recent weeks, Hasina has accused the Yunus-led interim government of committing “genocide” and failing to safeguard minorities, especially Hindus, following her removal from power.
