Bangladesh is formally requesting India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following her death sentence from a Dhaka court. The Ministry of External Affairs has cited the bilateral extradition treaty, urging India to fulfill its “binding duty” to repatriate the “fugitive accused.” The government of Bangladesh warned that failure to comply would be seen as an “extremely unfriendly act and an affront to justice.”
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) imposed the death penalty on Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for crimes against humanity linked to the unrest in July-August 2024. The tribunal’s findings indicated that Hasina authorized a harsh response to a student-led movement. In addition to the capital punishment, her property in Bangladesh is to be confiscated. A former police chief was sentenced to five years imprisonment.
Sheikh Hasina has publicly condemned the ICT verdict, asserting that the death sentence reflects the “murderous intent” of extremist factions within the interim government. She argued that the tribunal lacked legitimacy, being “rigged” and politically motivated to eliminate her and the Awami League. Hasina defended her track record on human rights, citing actions such as supporting Rohingya refugees and significant economic growth, while refuting the tribunal’s charges and the allegations of human rights abuses.