Hasina: Bangladesh asks India to extradite the deposed PM to Dhaka

Virendra Pandit

New Delhi: Under pressure from Islamist outfits, who now control the interim government led by “Chief Advisor” Muhammed Yunus, Bangladesh on Monday officially asked India to send back the deposed Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, who has been staying in the country since August.

Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide,” the media reported.

Hasina, 77, has been living in exile in India since August 5 when she fled the country amid the so-called student-led protests that toppled her 16-year-long, democratically-elected regime. These protests were actually led by Islamic fundamentalist outfits like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hifazat-e-Islam, with indirect support from sections of the armed forces.

Dhaka said on Monday that it has sent a diplomatic note to India to send back the deposed PM.

“We have sent a note verbale (diplomatic message) to the Indian government saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process, Foreign Affairs Adviser or de facto foreign minister, Mohammed Touhid Hossain, told reporters at his office. 

Earlier in the morning, Home Advisor Jahangir Alam said his office has sent a letter to the foreign ministry to facilitate the ousted premier’s extradition from India.

“We have sent a letter to the foreign ministry regarding her extradition. The process is currently underway,” he told reporters in response to a query.

Alam said an extradition treaty between Dhaka and New Delhi already exists and Hasina could be brought back to Bangladesh under it.