Bangladesh Seeks Extradition of Sheikh Hasina and Ex-Interior Minister from India

By A Staff Reporter

Dhaka/New Delhi: Bangladesh has formally urged India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal after a special tribunal sentenced both leaders to death for their alleged role in last year’s violent crackdown on a student uprising. The request, reported by Reuters, has added fresh strain to the already tense political atmosphere between the two neighbours.

According to Dhaka, the extradition request is rooted in the terms of the existing bilateral treaty, which the Bangladeshi government claims obligates India to return individuals convicted of serious offences. Hasina, who fled the country after massive student-led protests escalated into nationwide unrest, has reportedly been staying in India since leaving Bangladesh last year.

Bangladesh maintains that the convictions stem from what it describes as a lawful judicial process conducted by the country’s “International Crimes Tribunal,” which delivered the verdict earlier this week. The government in Dhaka has pressed New Delhi to act swiftly, citing the treaty as grounds for compliance.