New Delhi [India]: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday that India has received a formal request for the extradition of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Dhaka.
“We had confirmed that we have received a request from the Bangladeshi side on Hasina’s extradition. Beyond that, I have nothing further to add,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during the weekly press briefing.
The request was sent by Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, through a diplomatic note to India’s Foreign Ministry.
Sheikh Hasina, 77, has been residing in India since August 5 after fleeing Bangladesh following a massive student-led protest that ended her 16-year regime. She faces multiple court cases in Bangladesh, including allegations of crimes against humanity during her tenure.
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials.
Commenting on the ongoing legal proceedings in Bangladesh, Jaiswal emphasized the importance of a fair trial. “We expect that those people who have been arrested in Bangladesh must get a fair trial, and this is our appeal,” he said.
In a related development, a court in Chittagong on Thursday denied bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON leader, during a hearing held under tight security, The Daily Star reported.
The bail plea was rejected by Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam after both parties presented their arguments, according to Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Advocate Mofizur Haque Bhuiyan.
Chinmoy Das, who also serves as the spokesperson for Sammilita Sanatani Jagrani Jote, was arrested on November 25 last year on charges of sedition.