While a bilateral treaty with India exists, extradition can be denied if the offense is deemed to have a “political character.” A Bangladeshi court issued an arrest warrant on Thursday for exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August following her ousting by a student-led movement.
“The court has ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and directed her to appear in court on November 18,” said Mohammad Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal.
Hasina’s 15-year tenure was marked by significant human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of political opponents. “Sheikh Hasina was at the forefront of those who committed massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity from July to August,” Islam stated, calling it a “remarkable day.”
At 77, Hasina has not been seen in public since her escape from Bangladesh, with her last known location being a military airbase near New Delhi.
Her presence in India has angered the Bangladeshi government, which has revoked her diplomatic passport. While the countries have a bilateral extradition treaty that could facilitate her return for trial, the treaty includes a clause allowing extradition to be refused for offenses considered to be of a “political character.”
Hasina’s government established the contentious International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in 2010 to investigate atrocities from the 1971 independence war. However, the UN and various rights groups have criticized its procedural flaws, viewing it as a tool for Hasina to eliminate political rivals.
Several cases alleging that Hasina orchestrated the “mass murder” of protesters are currently under investigation by the court.
