Bangladesh writes to India seeking Sheikh Hasina's extradition. Towhid Hossain, foreign affairs adviser to the interim government of Mohammad Yunus, told the local media on Monday that an official letter had been sent to the Indian government seeking Sheikh Hasina's return. He will be tried in Bangladesh.
The Awami League government in Bangladesh fell on August 5 following the quota reform movement and the subsequent anti-discrimination student movement. The then Prime Minister Hasina left Bangladesh. He temporarily took refuge in India. Several cases have been filed against Hasina since she left Bangladesh. A case has been filed against 143 people, including former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with the murder of Saidur Rahman, a leader of the anti-discrimination student movement. At least 233 criminal cases have been filed against Hasina in different police stations of that country since she left Bangladesh. Of those, 198 were charged with murder. The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh had earlier issued arrest warrants against 143 people, including Hasina.
In an interview with the Financial Times in late October, Yunus also outlined his interim government's stance. He said they have no plans to bring Hasina back to Bangladesh right now. The chief adviser of the interim government said, "Hasina is accused of crimes against humanity. Once the court pronounces its verdict, we will try to extradite him as per the extradition treaty with India.”
But in the midst of all this, the interim government of Bangladesh started thinking of approaching Interpol to bring Hasina back to Dhaka. Yunus' administration has already appealed to Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice against Hasina. Meanwhile, on Monday afternoon, Yunus' government's foreign adviser said they had sent a letter to India seeking Hasina's return.
Since Hasina's government fell in Bangladesh, diplomatic relations between Delhi and Dhaka have been complicated. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri recently visited Bangladesh. He had a meeting with the foreign secretary of Bangladesh. He also met Chief Adviser Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid. The meeting tried to remove the cloud over diplomatic relations between the two countries. Both India and Bangladesh said that they want good relations with each other at the diplomatic level.
Recently, Hasina gave virtual messages to Awami League supporters in America and Britain. Yunus, the chief adviser of the interim government, raised his voice in his speech. Yunus' government is also unhappy with Hasina's actions. Later, at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Misri said New Delhi does not support the Awami League leader's statement criticizing the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh.
