‘We want her back…’: Bangladesh formally writes to India to facilitate return of Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh’s foreign ministry on Monday (Dec 23) formally wrote to India to facilitate the return of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. 

Addressing a press conference in Dhaka, Foreign Minister Tauhid Hossain said, “We have clearly informed India of our position. We have conveyed that we want her (Sheikh Hasina) back for judicial process.”

“We have sent a note verbale to the Indian government,” Foreign Minister Hossain added when he was asked about the procedure for requesting Hasina’s repatriation.

Earlier, Dhaka had said that there was no bar to bringing Hasina back following the extradition treaty. 

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Indian foreign ministry told WION’s Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, “We confirm that we have received a Note Verbale from the Bangladesh High Commission today in connection with an extradition request. At this time, we have no comment to offer on this matter.”

Earlier this year, anti-government protests in Bangladesh against Sheikh Hasina’s government led to her ouster.

The crisis precipitated in the country as students launched protests against the civil service job quotas in July. Students protested against public sector job quotas, which included a 30 per cent reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan.

The agitation was initially peaceful but soon turned violent. More than 240 people were killed in the clashes between student protesters and pro-government supporters. Thousands of people were injured, and scores were detained. 

Hasina resigned as PM on August 5 and fled to India. Following her ouster, an interim government was formed, which is being led by Muhammed Yunus. 

A report by the Bangladeshi newspaper The Business Standard said on Monday that since Hasina fled to India, there has been a growing demand to get her repatriated to Bangladesh and face trial for the crimes committed by her administration during the July-August uprising.

Also watch | Newspoint: Bangladesh extends probe into Hasina

Last month, interim leader Yunus said that his government would seek the repatriation of Hasina from India and assured that she would be prosecuted for all the crimes committed over the past 15 years.

Citing sources, The Business Standard report said that Hasina holds no other passport besides the now-revoked diplomatic one. 

Under the Indian visa policy, Bangladeshi citizens holding diplomatic or official passports are eligible for visa-free entry and can stay in the country (India) for up to 45 days.

However, Hasina has already spent four and a half months in India.

The cancellation of her diplomatic passport and its associated visa privileges could lead to the risk of extradition to Bangladesh, the report said.

It added that her extradition would fall under the legal framework of the 2013 extradition treaty between Dhaka and New Delhi, which was amended three years later. 

While the treaty allows for the refusal of extradition if the charges are political, it explicitly excludes crimes such as murder from being considered political.

(With inputs from agencies)