Dhaka: The foreign affairs ministry will formally send a letter to New Delhi seeking the repatriation of fugitive convicts Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said today. ‘We will officially communicate our position to India. Whether the letter goes tonight or tomorrow, it will certainly go,’ he told reporters at the foreign ministry this evening.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the letter would be transmitted to the Indian government either through the Indian High Commission in Dhaka or the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi. Responding to a question, the adviser said Dhaka had earlier sent a request seeking Hasina’s return but received no response. ‘Now the situation is different . the judicial process has been completed and they have been convicted,’ he added.
Touhid stated that Bangladesh will place its request under the existing extradition treaty with India. When asked whether New Delhi is legally bound to send back the convicts under the existing treaty, he mentioned that the matter falls under legal interpretation. ‘What I understand is that we need to bring her back as the court has delivered its verdict, and we will inform India officially,’ he said.
On the potential response if India refuses to hand over Sheikh Hasina, Touhid replied, ‘We will address that situation when it arises.’ Earlier, in a statement, the foreign ministry urged New Delhi to immediately hand over fugitive convicts Hasina and Kamal after the International Crimes Tribunal found them guilty of the July killings and awarded them death sentences, describing the move as India’s treaty-bound obligation.
The existing bilateral extradition agreement between Bangladesh and India marks the transfer of the two convicts a compulsory responsibility for New Delhi, the ministry stated. It also mentioned that granting shelter to individuals convicted of crimes against humanity would be considered an unfriendly act and a disregard for justice.