New Delhi: India on Monday confirmed that it has received a diplomatic note from Bangladesh asking New Delhi to repatriate former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but said it has “no comment” to offer on the matter.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said:
“We confirm that we have received a Note Verbale from the Bangladesh High Commission today in connection with an extradition request.
“At this time, we have no comment to offer on this matter,” he added.
The development comes as Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has formally asked the Indian government to repatriate former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back to Dhaka. The ex-PM has been staying in New Delhi ever since her government was ousted on August 5, in a “student-led” protest.
In Dhaka, the Bangladesh army-backed interim govt’s Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain said “We have clearly informed India of our position. We have conveyed that we want her (Hasina) back for judicial process.”
He also said that an extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India already exists, and that Hasina could be brought back to Bangladesh under the treaty.
“We sent a note verbal (diplomatic message) to the Indian government saying that the Bangladesh government wants her (Hasina) back here for judicial process,” Hossain added, as per DailySun.
The note verbal was sent after the country’s current Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury had said that his ministry has sent a letter to the foreign ministry, urging it to contact India to facilitate Hasina’s return.
After the fall of the Hasina-led Awami League (AL) government, at least 60 cases or complaints of alleged enforced disappearances, killings, genocide, and crimes against humanity were lodged at the nation’s International Crimes Tribunal, against Sheikh Hasina, leaders of the Awami League and 14 party alliance, and senior officials of different law enforcement agencies, as per Business Standard BD.
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