Joy confident India will reject Bangladesh’s request to extradite Hasina

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son and former ICT advisor to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, says India is not likely to accept the Bangladesh government’s request to extradite her to face a death sentence over crimes against humanity.

"India has always been a good friend, and in the crisis, India has essentially saved my mother's life. If she hadn't left Bangladesh, the militants, they had planned on killing her. So, I am eternally grateful to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's government for saving my mother's life," Joy told international newswire service Reuters in an interview.

"I think they (New Delhi) know very well how to handle this extradition request. I don't think the Indian government is going to respond to such an illegal request. I really don't have any opinion on that whatsoever because I have faith in the Indian democracy, in their belief in the rule of law."

Joy said that the Awami League government had “mishandled” the July Uprising.

"Our government, during the protests last year, yes, there was some mishandling of the protests initially. The protests turned violent. Our government attempted to stop the violence. But yes, there was certainly a political motivation to it. You have had an unelected government staying in power for over a year and a half. Everything has been done undemocratically."

The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity alongside her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Monday. Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, the police chief at the time of the July Uprising, was sentenced to five years in prison for crimes against humanity after he plead guilty and turned state witness.

Hasina was ousted from power by a student-led mass uprising on Aug 5, 2024. She then fled to India, where she has been since.

Bangladesh first formally requested Hasina’s extradition in December, after initiating trial proceedings in October of last year, through a “note verbale” sent to Delhi in accordance with the extradition treaty.

In June this year, the ICT issued an arrest warrant against Hasina. Although one case reached conclusion, the Indian government has not responded to the extradition request.

In October, in response to a question relating to the letter from Dhaka, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Delhi was reviewing the legal issues involved.

Following Monday’s death sentence, the interim government renewed its call for Hasina and Kamal’s return.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement: “The verdict given by the International Crimes Tribunal held both absconding accused Hasina and Asaduzzaman guilty and sentenced them for the murders during the July Uprising.

It added that any country offering asylum to these individuals would be “extremely unfriendly and demeaning to justice”.

“We urge the Indian government to immediately hand over these two convicts to the Bangladeshi authorities. It is also a legal obligation for India as per the existing extradition treaty between the two countries,” it said.

Interim government advisors Touhid Hossain and Asif Nazrul confirmed that Dhaka will send another letter to Delhi requesting Hasina’s repatriation.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam added that extradition efforts would also be pursued through Interpol.