Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been ordered to be arrested by a Bangladeshi court, along with 45 others, for crimes against humanity during a crackdown on student protests that resulted in over 1,000 deaths. Hasina fled to India following widespread protests calling for her resignation, where she has been staying at a military airbase near New Delhi.
Despite a bilateral extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh, there is a loophole that could prevent Hasina from being extradited back to Bangladesh for trial, as the treaty specifies that extradition could be refused if the offence is deemed to be of a “political character.” Hasina’s government had previously established the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in 2010 to investigate atrocities committed during the country’s independence war from Pakistan, but the court has been criticized for procedural shortcomings and seen as a tool for Hasina to target political opponents.
Critics have accused Hasina of becoming increasingly autocratic during her 15-year rule, leading to widespread allegations of human rights abuses and orchestrating the “mass murder” of protesters. The United Nations and human rights groups have raised concerns about the fairness of the ICT trials.
Hasina’s whereabouts since leaving Bangladesh remain unclear, and it is uncertain whether she will stay in India or move elsewhere. The arrest warrants issued by the Bangladeshi court demand her appearance by November 18, but it remains to be seen whether India will comply with the extradition request given the political nature of the charges against her.
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