Hasina's extradition: Next step depends on India’s reply to Bangladesh’s request, says MoFA

Bangladesh will decide on the next steps regarding ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's extradition after India replies to its request in this regard, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said today (24 December).

Speaking at the weekly press briefing at the ministry, spokesperson Mohammad Rafiqul Alam said, "Bangladesh will wait for a normal period for India's reply to its note verbale. If no response comes during the period, Bangladesh will send a reminder letter to India."

When asked how long could the said period be, he replied that it depends on the issue being discussed. "The issue of our discussion is very sensitive. We cannot bracket it within a normal period. Sometimes it takes years for an issue to be resolved."

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain yesterday (23 December) disclosed that Bangladesh has formally written to the government of India to facilitate the return of Hasina to Bangladesh.

Touhid said, "We have clearly informed India of our position. We have conveyed that we want her [Hasina] back for the judicial process."

When asked about the procedure for requesting the repatriation, he explained, "We have sent a note verbale [a formal diplomatic letter] to the Indian government."

Earlier yesterday, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury had said that his ministry has sent a letter to the foreign ministry, urging it to contact India to facilitate Hasina's return.

Talking to reporters at an event in the capital, he said there was no bar to bringing Sheikh Hasina back following the extradition treaty.

Hasina fled to India with her sister Sheikh Rehana on 5 August in the face of a mass uprising led by students. She has been in India since then.

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After the fall of the Awami League (AL) government, at least 60 cases or complaints of enforced disappearances, killings, genocide, and crimes against humanity were lodged at the International Crimes Tribunal, accusing Sheikh Hasina, leaders of the Awami League and 14 party alliance, and senior officials of different law enforcement agencies.

Numerous cases on various charges, including murder and attempt to murder, have also been filed against the ousted prime minister, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 15 years, and AL leaders.

Since she fled to India, the demand has been growing to have her repatriated to the country and face trial for the crimes committed by her administration during the July-August uprising.

At the end of the day, the call on Hasina's extradition is about politics, not so much about law. But whatever decision India takes, it should dexterously employ international law language to serve its political needs and justify its decision.

On 12 November, the ICT chief prosecutor's office sent a letter to Interpol, urging it to issue a Red Notice against Hasina to facilitate her arrest and repatriation for orchestrating the killings, genocides and crimes against humanity committed during the student-led mass-uprising in July and August.

Addressing the nation on 17 November, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said that the interim government will seek the repatriation of Hasina from India and assured that all crimes committed over the past 15 years would be prosecuted.

"Not only for the murders of July and August, but we'll prosecute all the crimes committed over the past 15 years. Many people have been subjected to enforced disappearance and murdered during this time," said Yunus, who took charge of the government three days after the AL government was toppled.

After the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) meeting in Dhaka earlier this month, Foreign Affairs Secretary Jashim Uddin told reporters that Bangladesh would ask India to send back Hasina after following due legal process.