India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Bangladesh has sent a diplomatic note seeking the return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Responding to questions from reporters at the weekly briefing on Monday (December 23), he said, “We have received a diplomatic note from Bangladesh seeking the return of Sheikh Hasina. However, he refused to comment on the matter.
Earlier, Bangladesh had written to the country’s Home Ministry to bring ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back from India, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Towhid Hossain had said.
Towhid Hossain said, “We have clearly informed India. We have informed India that we want Sheikh Hasina back for the sake of justice.”
In response to a question from reporters about what the process of seeking her return could be, he said, “Through a note verbale (diplomatic letter) to the Indian government.”
Earlier, at a function held in Peelkhana on Monday, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that a letter has been sent to the Foreign Ministry to take necessary measures to bring ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back to the country.
He said that a letter has been sent to our Foreign Ministry regarding her return. The matter is under process. In response to a question, the Home Affairs Adviser said that there is an extradition treaty with India. The Government of India will be asked to return Sheikh Hasina according to that agreement.
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has been in India since leaving the post of Prime Minister on August 5 and fleeing there. Although some of her party's senior leaders have been arrested, most are still in hiding.
The Awami League government formed the International Crimes Tribunal in 2010 to try crimes against humanity in 1971. Now, the interim government has taken the initiative to try the Awami League government's repression of the student and public movement as 'genocide'.
During the student and public protests from July 5 to August 5, many allegations of 'genocide and crimes against humanity' were submitted to the tribunal's investigation agency and prosecution office across the country.