Bangladesh's BNP urges India to extradite ex-PM Hasina for trial
Bangladesh's main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has called on India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stand trial for murder and other charges related to a student-led uprising. Hasina, accused of using force to suppress the protests, faces 31 cases, including 26 for murder, four for crimes against humanity and genocide, and one for abduction. On August 6, amid widespread public protests, Hasina, Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister, resigned and fled to India.
Why does this story matter?
The student protests, which started in July with demands to abolish civil service job quotas, quickly grew into a wider anti-government movement. Over 230 people were killed in the nationwide violence following the fall of Hasina's Awami League government, raising the death toll to more than 600 since the protests began. Hasina's government was succeeded by an interim administration, with 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus appointed as its chief advisor.
BNP's appeal for Hasina's extradition
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urged India to legally hand over Hasina to the Bangladeshi government. He said, "It is our call to you that you should hand her over to the government of Bangladesh in a legal way." Alamgir expressed concern over India providing refuge to Hasina, stating that it contradicts its commitment to upholding democratic principles. He also accused her of plotting against the revolution that took place in Bangladesh while staying in India.
Extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India
The extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India mandates the handover of individuals facing court proceedings for any "extraditable crime." This includes financial offenses punishable by a minimum of one year in prison. The BNP said the murder and extortion cases against Hasina fall within this category. "I am saying this strongly...we want to make it clear that I do not think that India can get much love from people by sheltering the enemy of the people of Bangladesh," he added.
