Dhaka to Send Letter to New Delhi Seeking Extradition of Hasina and Kamal

Darwin, 18 November –

Dhaka will formally send a letter to New Delhi requesting the extradition of convicted fugitives Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal from India, Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said, “We will officially notify India of our position. The letter will be sent either tonight or tomorrow morning—one way or another.”

According to the foreign affairs advisor, the letter will be delivered to the Indian government either through the Indian High Commission in Dhaka or the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.

Responding to a question, Touhid Hossain said, “Earlier, there was a request to send back Sheikh Hasina, but no response was received. The situation is different now… the judicial process has been completed and they have been convicted.”

He added that Bangladesh’s request will be made under the existing bilateral extradition treaty between the two countries.

When asked whether India is legally obligated under the treaty to return convicted individuals, the advisor said, “This depends on legal interpretation.”

“My understanding is that once the court has delivered its verdict and announced the sentence, it becomes necessary to bring them back. We will officially inform India,” he said.

Asked what steps Dhaka would take if India refuses to extradite Sheikh Hasina, Touhid Hossain replied, “We will act according to the situation if and when it arises.”

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that Dhaka had urged New Delhi to quickly extradite Sheikh Hasina and Kamal following their conviction and death sentence by the International Crimes Tribunal in the July killings case. The statement described the extradition as part of India’s “treaty-bound obligations.”

The statement further said that providing shelter to the two convicted individuals under the existing extradition treaty would be considered an unfriendly act and tantamount to denying justice.