India-Bangladesh: The interim government of Bangladesh has sought former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s return to Dhaka from India where she is currently living in exile through diplomatic channels. However, the formal extradition treaty that was signed between India and Bangladesh in 2013 has not been invoked yet.
“We confirm that we have received a Note Verbale from the Bangladesh High Commission today in connection with an extradition request. At this time, we have no comment to offer on this matter,” said Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs Monday.
This comes after Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told the local media there that Dhaka has sent a formal note verbale to India seeking Hasina’s return to that country in order for her to face the law there.
Earlier this month, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had undertaken a hurricane tour to Dhaka for the regular India-Bangladesh Foreign Office Consultations. During the visit he met Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, apart from meeting Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin.
In August this year Hasina was forced to leave her country while she was holding the chair of Prime Ministership owing to a student-led protest that ultimately culminated to her stepping down and ouster from Bangladesh.
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With her ousting, Bangladesh saw the formation of an interim government under Nobel laureate Yunus even as the country is yet to witness another election that will lead to the people of Bangladesh choosing an elected Prime Minister.
In an exclusive interview to ABP LIVE, Yunus had said that Hasina had won “fake elections” which angered the people of Bangladesh who “could never vote in any election”. He also said, Hasina had become “one country, one leader, one narrative and everything revolved around her that filled the country with corruption that led to a volcanic eruption.”
Meanwhile, demand for the return of the 76-year-old Awami League chief had been growing louder in across Bangladesh even as it has given rise to massive anti-India sentiments here. Hasina was unseated from power months after winning a fourth consecutive term in office.
On Monday, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told the media there, “A letter has already been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The process is underway for extradition ... We have a prisoner exchange agreement with India. It will be carried out under that agreement.”
India and Bangladesh signed an extradition treaty in 2013. The treaty was amended in 2016 to ease the tedious process of exchanging fugitives. The pact was mainly signed due to concerns over Indian insurgents, particularly from the North East, taking shelter in Bangladesh, and Bangladeshi militants’ collusion with them.
Anti-corruption Probe On Hasina
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has launched an anti-corruption probe on Hasina for an alleged embezzlement of $5 billion, which is linked to the Russian-backed Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), of which India is also one of the partners. The probe also named her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and her niece Tulip Siddiq.
According to the charges levied on her and her family, the anti-corruption commission said the embezzlement happened through an offshore account in Malaysia.
The commission also said it was examining "questionable procurement practices related to the overpriced construction" of the Rooppur plant.
"The claims of kickbacks, mismanagement, money laundering, and potential abuse of power raise significant concerns about the integrity of the project and the use of public funds,” the commission said in a statement.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is Bangladesh's first proposed nuclear power project which represented a significant milestone in the country’s aim to become a sustainable power producer. India was assisting in the project with non-critical infrastructure and logistical support.