Bangladesh's ICT to pursue extradition of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina from India
(MENAFN) Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is set to seek the extradition of ousted leader sheikh Hasina from neighboring India, according to Mohammad Tajul Islam, the tribunal's chief prosecutor. Islam has accused Hasina of carrying out "massacres" and stated that legal proceedings will commence to bring her back to Bangladesh for trial. The ICT, which was established by Hasina in 2010 to investigate war crimes and atrocities during the 1971 independence war from Pakistan, will now turn its attention to her alleged crimes.
Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years, was forced to resign amid massive student-led protests and unrest, which intensified over recent weeks. She fled the country on August 5, using a helicopter to escape to India, where she remains in hiding. The ICT’s move to seek her extradition is fueled by accusations of widespread human rights abuses during her rule, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of political opponents.
Bangladesh has a criminal extradition treaty with India, signed in 2013 while Hasina’s government was in power. Islam indicated that this treaty would support their efforts to return Hasina to Bangladesh. However, there is a clause in the treaty that could allow India to refuse extradition if the offense is deemed to be of a "political character," which might complicate the process.
Hasina, now 76, has not been publicly seen since her escape, with her last known location being a military airbase near New Delhi. The situation has heightened tensions between the two countries. In response to Hasina's presence in India, Dhaka has revoked her diplomatic passport. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who took over after Hasina’s departure and is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has publicly stated that Hasina should "keep quiet" while in exile and await her trial back in Bangladesh.
Yunus's government faces significant public pressure to secure Hasina’s extradition, particularly following the violence and unrest that led to her removal. According to a preliminary United Nations report, over 600 people were killed during the upheaval, suggesting that the actual toll could be higher. Additionally, Bangladesh has opened an investigation led by a retired high court judge into the enforced disappearances carried out by security forces during Hasina’s rule, further compounding the call for justice.
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