Bangladesh to seek Interpol assistance for extradition of Hasina and Kamal
New Delhi: Bangladesh’s interim administration under Muhammad Yunus is preparing to seek Interpol’s assistance to secure the extradition of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal from India. The move follows the International Crimes Tribunal’s decision in Dhaka to sentence both leaders to death for crimes against humanity linked to the July–August 2024 agitation. Several Bangladeshi media outlets have reported that requests for an Interpol Red Notice are being prepared.
The ICT verdict, delivered in absentia, found Hasina and Kamal guilty of offences committed during the unrest that erupted after student protests were overtaken by Islamist groups. Hasina fled to India after being forced from power and is believed to be in New Delhi. Kamal spoke to India Today TV on Monday but declined to reveal his location. Reports suggest he is also in India under self-imposed exile.
A third accused, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned approver and testified for the state, avoided capital punishment and received a five-year prison sentence.
On Tuesday, ICT prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim told The Financial Express that preparations were underway to request an Interpol Red Notice based on the conviction warrant. “Both the accused are absconding, and an application has already been submitted to Interpol, along with the Tribunal’s arrest warrant,” he said. He added that Dhaka would now ask the global policing body, through the foreign ministry, to issue a new notice tied to the conviction.
The push for Interpol assistance comes days after the foreign ministry announced it was drafting a letter to New Delhi seeking formal extradition. Asif Nazrul, the Yunus administration’s adviser for law, justice and parliamentary affairs, said on Monday that Bangladesh would soon communicate its request to India.
New Delhi has not issued a direct response to Dhaka’s latest appeal. Following the ICT verdict, India said it remained committed to the “best interests of the people of Bangladesh” and would “always engage constructively with all stakeholders”. A senior Bangladeshi official told the Daily Star that Dhaka had earlier written to India in December 2024 seeking Hasina’s extradition but received no reply.
Bangladesh had previously requested Interpol red notices for 12 suspects, including Hasina, after cases were filed last year. The extradition process is governed by a 2013 bilateral treaty that allows either country to hand over convicted fugitives but also permits refusal in cases considered political in nature. Analysts in Dhaka have noted that this provision could complicate the current effort.
Under tribunal law, Hasina and Kamal must surrender and file appeals within 30 days. Both leaders have rejected the judgment, alleging political motivation and lack of due process. The Awami League described the ruling as delivered by a “rigged tribunal” under an “unelected government”. Kamal said the outcome was “expected” and claimed the court was created to “finish Awami League leadership”, adding that Pakistan’s reaction showed “the world behind this”.
As Dhaka intensifies its push for extradition, India’s next steps will be watched closely, with potential implications for the future of Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister.
