The National Central Bureau (NCB) of the Bangladesh Police has formally requested Interpol to issue a Red Notice against 12 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, amid allegations of conspiring to overthrow the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
The Bangladesh Police recently filed a case against Hasina and 72 others on charges of hatching a conspiracy to incite civil war and unseat the interim administration.
Hasina is facing over 100 cases, including that of mass murder and corruption.
The NCB submitted the request in three separate phases.
An Interpol Red Corner notice, commonly known as a Red Notice, is a request to locate and provisionally arrest a fugitive wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.
It is a tool used by Interpol, the international police organisation, to facilitate information-sharing and international cooperation in apprehending fugitives.
The NCB makes such requests to Interpol based on appeals received from courts, public prosecutors, or investigative agencies.
Confirming the development, Enamul Haque Sagor, Assistant Inspector General (Media) at the Police Headquarters, said, “These applications are filed in connection with allegations that emerge during investigations or through ongoing case proceedings”, as reported by Dhaka Tribune.
“Interpol plays a key role in identifying the locations of fugitives residing abroad. Once the whereabouts of any absconding individual are confirmed, that information is relayed to Interpol,” said Sagor.
“The request for the red notice is currently under process,” he added
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office of the International Crimes Tribunal had formally requested the police in November last year to seek Interpol’s assistance in apprehending Sheikh Hasina and the others deemed fugitives.
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Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year after a massive student-led uprising toppled her 16-year-old Awami League regime. She has since been residing in India.
Most of her party leaders and ministers in her government were arrested or fled abroad to evade trial on charges like crimes against humanity or mass murder.
