The interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh is preparing to seek Interpol’s assistance to extradite ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal from India. The move comes days after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka sentenced both leaders to death for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the July–August 2024 agitation.
Several Bangladeshi media outlets have reported the government’s plan to involve Interpol as part of its intensified legal push.
The initiative aligns with Dhaka’s foreign ministry, which earlier said it was preparing to formally write to India requesting their extradition. Both Hasina and Kamal were convicted in absentia, while former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned approver, received a five-year prison term instead of the death penalty.
Hasina fled to India after being forced from power during the 2024 unrest. She is believed to be in New Delhi, while Kamal—who spoke to India Today TV—did not reveal his location and is also thought to be in India.
Preparations for a Fresh Interpol Red Notice
Following Monday’s sentencing, ICT prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim told The Financial Express that the process of securing Interpol’s involvement was already underway.
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According to the report, Tamim said, “Both the accused are absconding, and an application has already been submitted to Interpol, along with the Tribunal’s arrest warrant… Now we will ask the organisation, through the foreign ministry, to issue a new Red Notice based on the conviction warrant.”
The ICT previously sought red notices for 12 fugitives, including Sheikh Hasina, after cases were filed last year.
The interim government’s Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Asif Nazrul, said Dhaka would formally write to New Delhi seeking Hasina and Kamal’s extradition following their conviction.
Bangladesh’s foreign ministry is finalising a note and may send it within days, said a senior official quoted by The Daily Star. The ministry had earlier written to India in December 2024, but received no reply.
India, meanwhile, issued a measured response after the verdict, stating it remains committed to the “best interests of the people of Bangladesh” and will continue engaging “constructively with all stakeholders.”
Extradition Treaty Faces a Legal Grey Zone
India and Bangladesh signed an extradition treaty in 2013. Although the agreement obligates extradition of convicted fugitives, it allows refusal if the case is considered political in nature. Legal experts say Hasina’s case could fall into a sensitive grey area.
Under ICT rules, Hasina and Kamal must surrender and file appeals within 30 days.
Both Hasina and Kamal have rejected the judgment, alleging political vendetta and lack of due process. Hasina’s Awami League called the ruling “made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate.”
Kamal told India Today TV that the verdict was “expected” and claimed the court was created to “finish Awami League leadership.” He also cited reactions from Pakistan to suggest the involvement of “the world behind this.”
With Dhaka accelerating efforts to secure extradition, regional observers say India’s stance will be pivotal. New Delhi’s decisions in the coming days could significantly influence the fate of Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister and the political direction of the crisis-ridden nation.
