Hasina, who resigned as prime minister on August 5, 2024, following massive anti-government protests, fled to India soon after stepping down…reports Asian Lite News
Bangladesh is set to initiate legal steps to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India in order to try her on charges of mass killings during the student-led protests against her government.
The announcement came on Sunday, September 8, 2024, from the newly-appointed chief prosecutor of the country’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Md Tajul Islam.
Hasina, who resigned as prime minister on August 5, 2024, following massive anti-government protests, fled to India soon after stepping down.
According to Islam, Bangladesh will request Hasina’s return under the existing extradition treaty with India to proceed with the charges of mass killings.
The tribunal will file an application seeking arrest warrants for Hasina and others accused of crimes against humanity.
The charges stem from the violent suppression of protests between July and August 2024, during which more than 1,000 people were killed and hundreds injured, as reported by the interim government’s Health Adviser, Nurjahan Begum.
The ICT launched an investigation last month into Hasina and nine other individuals on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity for their role in the crackdown on the student-led movement.
Islam emphasized that reconstituting the tribunal and investigation team will be necessary, as judges and investigators appointed by the previous government resigned after the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took power.
The prosecutor highlighted the complexities involved in gathering and compiling evidence from across the country. He added that any decision on amending the International Crimes Tribunal Act to accommodate the new cases would be made in consultation with the government.
The cases are expected to be challenging, given the scale of the protests and the number of victims involved.
Hasina’s return from India is seen as critical for bringing justice to the victims of the protests and holding her government accountable for its alleged role in the violent crackdown.
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