Bangladesh calls Hasina ‘convicted criminal’, seeks extradition

Dhaka, Nov 8: Bangladesh’s Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Sunday described ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina as a “convicted criminal” and said Dhaka has requested India to extradite her, according to local media reports.
Responding to questions from journalists after inaugurating a training workshop in Dhaka, Asaduzzaman said the government was taking all necessary legal steps to bring Hasina back from India and would follow due process. “To me, she is a criminal. A criminal convicted by our tribunal. To us, this is her identity,” he said, according to a report on bdnews24 website.
Asked about bringing Hasina back to Bangladesh, the law minister said the government would act in accordance with the law and would not be guided by emotion. “Although the Law Ministry is not directly involved in this matter, the Ministry of Home Affairs is concerned, as it relates to the extradition treaty with India. The matter will be dealt with in accordance with the law, leaving no room for emotions.
We have requested her repatriation under the treaty and through due process,” Asaduzzaman was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency. Bdnews24 also quoted Asaduzzaman as saying: “That is a matter for the Indian government. We have made requests to them under the extradition treaty.” “If they hand her over to us, we will hand her over in the due process, as required under the law,” he added. India has previously acknowledged receiving Bangladesh’s extradition requests for Hasina but has not announced any decision on handing her over. The Ministry of External Affairs has said the requests are being examined as part of its established processes. Hasina fled Bangladesh for India on August 5, 2024, following a mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule. (PTI)