Bangladesh seeks extradition of exiled former PM Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh's interim government on Monday said it has sent a formal note to India, seeking extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted through street protests and has been living in exile in India since August 5.

India acknowledged the Note Verbale but refused to comment at this stage. "We confirm that we have received a Note Verbale from the Bangladesh High Commission today (Monday) in connection with an extradition request. At this time, we have no comment to offer on this matter," sources said.

The Bangladesh-based international crimes tribunal has already issued an arrest warrant against Hasina.


"We have sent a note verbale to the Indian government, saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process," foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain said.

Interim government's home adviser Jahangir Alam also confirmed that his office has sent a letter to New Delhi to facilitate Hasina's extradition. He pointed out that an extradition treaty already existed between the two countries.

Bangladesh interim government's chief adviser Muhammad Yunus had last month said that the country would seek Hasina's extradition. "We must ensure justice in every killing. We will also ask India to send back fallen autocrat Sheikh Hasina," he had said.

India maintains that it has a long tradition of receiving guests. Also, as per India-Bangladesh extradition treaty, requests "political in nature" cannot be enforced.

Hasina has stayed in exile in the past too, from 1975 to 1982, following the assassination of her father and Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.