Dhaka: Bangladesh’s interim government is intensifying efforts to bring former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other key figures back to the country under the extradition agreement with India, according to Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
Sheikh Hasina, 77, has been residing in India since August 5, 2024, after fleeing Bangladesh amid widespread student-led protests that led to the downfall of her Awami League government, which had been in power for 16 years.
Following her departure, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued arrest warrants for Hasina, several former ministers, advisers, and military officials, accusing them of crimes against humanity and genocide.
“We are working to bring back those under trial for crimes against humanity,” Chowdhury said in an interview with the state-run BSS news agency.
His comments were in response to questions regarding efforts to arrest more than 100 individuals who are subjects of arrest warrants issued by the ICT.
In 2024, the Bangladeshi government sent a diplomatic note to India requesting the extradition of Sheikh Hasina.
Chowdhury stated that the government is actively pursuing the arrest of individuals currently within Bangladesh, but acknowledged the difficulty in apprehending those who are abroad, particularly Hasina, who is residing in India.
“We are arresting those within the country, but the main individual (Hasina) is abroad. We cannot arrest those outside our borders,” he said, adding that legal efforts are ongoing to facilitate her return.
Police chief Baharul Alam also commented on the issue, stating that Interpol is expected to issue red notices for the individuals wanted by the ICT.
“Once the red notice is issued, the host country is responsible for arresting them,” Alam said.
In addition to their legal efforts, the interim government has revoked the passports of Hasina and 96 others accused of involvement in enforced disappearances and the killings that took place in July.
Bangladesh formally requested Hasina’s repatriation in December 2024, seeking her trial for mass killings linked to the Anti-Discrimination Student’s Movement, known as the July-August uprising.
The ICT, originally established to prosecute collaborators of Pakistani forces during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War, has issued two arrest warrants for Hasina.
The tribunal is demanding her appearance in court by February 12, 2025, for charges related to enforced disappearances during her tenure as prime minister.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the High Court in Dhaka acquitted 47 individuals who had been convicted in a case connected to an attack on a train carrying Hasina in 1994.
ALSO READ: Assam CM unveils state-of-the-art integrated terminal at Guwahati Airport
The attack, which occurred while Hasina was traveling from Khulna to Syedpur, involved crude bombs and gunfire.
The attack was blamed on Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activists, and the lower court had sentenced nine people to death, 25 to life imprisonment, and 13 to ten years in jail.
The High Court deemed the lower court’s verdict “inhumane” and ordered the immediate release of the acquitted individuals.
As Bangladesh’s legal and diplomatic efforts continue, the country remains focused on bringing Sheikh Hasina and others to trial for their alleged crimes, while navigating the challenges of international extradition processes.
