'No one above law': Bangladesh Chief Advisor Yunus hails court verdict as Dhaka presses India to extradite Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus issued a late-evening statement on Monday, saying the country’s courts had spoken “with a clarity that resonates across the nation and beyond.” He praised the conviction and sentencing of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and ex-home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, stressing that the ruling reinforces a simple principle, no one, regardless of power, is above the law.

In his message, he said the verdict delivers “vital, if insufficient, justice” to the thousands harmed during the July–August 2024 student uprising. He added that Bangladesh now stands at a moment of “rebuilding democratic foundations wrecked by years of oppression”.

According to him, the crimes, including ordering lethal force against unarmed students and children, violated both national laws and the basic trust between citizens and the state.


“As many as 1,400 lives were lost,” he said, reminding the nation that they were “not statistics but students, parents, and citizens with rights.” Months of testimony described the use of live fire, even from helicopters, on peaceful protesters.

He said the verdict acknowledges their suffering and signals that Bangladesh is rejoining “global currents of accountability”.

The path ahead, he added, requires not just legal action but rebuilding trust in institutions. “Justice will not merely survive in Bangladesh. It will prevail and sustain,” he said.

Bangladesh Urges India to Extradite Hasina and Kamal

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s interim government called on India to immediately extradite deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, just hours after a special tribunal sentenced them to death in absentia for “crimes against humanity”.

According to a statement released through the state-run BSS agency, the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry said the existing bilateral extradition treaty places a compulsory responsibility on New Delhi to transfer the two individuals. The ministry added that giving shelter to anyone convicted of such serious offences would be viewed as an “unfriendly” gesture and a disregard for justice.

India, however, responded in a calm and balanced manner, making it clear that it had taken note of the verdict but remains focused on stability and the well-being of the people of Bangladesh.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India had “noted the verdict announced by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh” concerning Hasina. It stressed that India will continue to act in the best interests of the Bangladeshi people, guided by principles of peace, democracy, inclusion and stability.

“As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh,” the MEA said, adding, “We will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end.”

Inputs from agencies