Bangladesh’s interim government has confirmed that it has formally requested the Indian government to hand over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to officials, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka has officially notified India after sentencing Hasina to death for crimes against humanity committed during last year’s student protests.
The tribunal also sentenced former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death on the same charges, while former police chief Al Mamun received a five-year prison term for turning state witness.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stated that an extradition treaty exists between the two countries, making Hasina’s return mandatory under the agreement.
Hasina has been living in exile in India for the past 15 months after being ousted from power in August 2024. Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Touhid Hossain confirmed that Dhaka has formally sent the extradition request to New Delhi.
He said, “According to the bilateral treaty, extraditing Hasina is India’s mandatory responsibility.” However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has only stated that it has “noted” the Dhaka court verdict.
On December 16 (1 Mangsir), the ICT sentenced Hasina in connection with the July–August 2024 student protests, which the United Nations says resulted in at least 1,400 deaths due to state repression.
Reacting to the verdict, Hasina criticized the tribunal, calling it “fraudulently constituted” and questioning its legitimacy. She also claimed that Bangladesh is currently being run by a non-elected government.
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