Bangladesh’s interim government is preparing to request Interpol assistance in extraditing ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal from India, following their death sentences by Dhaka’s International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity.
Interpol Red Notice Process Initiated
ICT prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim announced Tuesday that preparations are underway to request an Interpol Red Notice for the convicted individuals.
“Both the accused are absconding, and an application has already been submitted to Interpol, along with the Tribunal’s arrest warrant, seeking issuance of a Red Notice. Now we will ask the organisation, through the foreign ministry, to issue a new Red Notice based on the conviction warrant instead of the arrest warrant,” Tamim told The Financial Express.
Formal Extradition Request to India
Following Monday’s verdict, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Asif Nazrul stated Dhaka would formally request New Delhi for the duo’s extradition. Both Sheikh Hasina and Kamal fled to India after July-August 2024 student protests, hijacked by Islamist groups, forced Hasina from power.
Bangladesh’s foreign ministry is finalizing a diplomatic note to India, potentially sending it within days. A senior official reported that Dhaka previously wrote to India in December 2024 requesting Hasina’s extradition but received no response, according to the Daily Star.
Legal Complexities and Treaty Provisions
India and Bangladesh maintain a 2013 extradition treaty obligating both countries to hand over convicted fugitives. However, the treaty permits refusal in cases deemed “political in character,” creating legal ambiguity in Hasina’s situation.
India offered a measured response after the sentencing, stating it remains committed to the “best interests of the people of Bangladesh” and will “always engage constructively with all stakeholders.”
Defendants Denounce Verdict
Both Sheikh Hasina and Kamal have characterized the verdict as politically motivated. Hasina’s Awami League condemned the judgment as “made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate.”
Kamal told the media the verdict was “expected” and alleged the court was created solely to “finish Awami League leadership.”
Under tribunal law, Hasina and Kamal must surrender and file appeals within 30 days. India’s response to extradition requests will significantly impact the future of Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister.
