NEW DELHI: A Bangladesh court on Monday issued second arrest warrant for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is in exile in India, for her alleged role in enforced disappearances during her tenure.
The 77-year-old leader, ousted in August following a student-led revolution, is already facing charges of crimes against humanity.
Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), stated that the latest warrant pertains to enforced disappearances, with over 500 individuals reportedly abducted by security forces and held in secret facilities during her 15-year rule.
“The court issued a warrant against Sheikh Hasina and 11 others, including her military adviser, military personnel, and other law enforcement officials,” Islam said.
The interim government has prioritised Hasina’s extradition and trial. Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser stressed during a press conference on Sunday that Hasina must face justice for “crimes against humanity.”
“We will try our best. She must face the trial. I think pressure will build on. Our pressure will relentlessly be there,” he said.
Bangladesh formally requested Hasina’s extradition from India on December 23 via a note verbale, but Dhaka is still awaiting a response. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the receipt of the note verbale but declined to comment further. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri also visited Dhaka last month and held several meetings with top Bangladeshi officials. However, no statements regarding Hasina’s extradition were made.
Alam also hinted at mobilising global support, stating, “Nobody wants to give space to a ‘killer’.”
Bangladesh formally requested Hasina’s extradition from India on December 23 via a note verbale. However, Dhaka is still awaiting a response. The 2013 extradition treaty between the two nations does not specify a time frame for action.
Alam in a Facebook post said, “No amount of lobbying will help Hasina and her murderous associates.” He urged the Awami League to distance itself from Hasina, saying, “Students and millions of July uprising protesters have thrown Hasina and her ‘clan’ into the dustbin of history. Now, it is ordinary Awami League supporters’ turn to denounce one of history’s most corrupt and blood-thirsty dictators.”
Since her government’s collapse, dozens of Hasina’s allies have been detained for their alleged involvement in a brutal crackdown that left more than 700 protesters dead.