Bangladesh may request to extradite Sheikh Hasina from India: ’Creates embarrassing situation’

As cases mount against Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh, the foreign affairs advisor of its interim government said they are likely to request for her extradition from India, adding that it may create an “embarrassing situation for the Indian government”.

The Bangladesh foreign affairs advisor Mohammed Touhid Hossain, in an exclusive interview to Reuters TV in Dhaka, said "since there are so many cases" against Hasina in Bangladesh, the country's home and law ministries could make the request to extradite her.

“Her staying in Delhi, in India, the question comes that...there are so many cases (against Sheikh Hasina) that could be... again some speculating, I am not a person right to answer this, if there is a request from there (Ministry of Home and Ministry of Law) we have to ask for her, you know, return to Bangladesh,” he said.

Hossain added that if there is a demand from Bangladesh, that creates an embarrassing situation for the Indian government. “So I think the Indian government knows this and I am sure they will take care of it.”

Sheikh Hasina had arrived in India on August 5, following an uprising led by students against her that turned violent.

According to the Dhaka Tribune, a complaint has been lodged against Hasina and 24 others in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands for allegedly violating human rights. The Bangladeshi media outlet said that there are multiple cases filed against Hasina.

Hossein also told Reuters TV that Nobel Laureate Mohammad Yunus, who is leading Bangladesh's interim government, is "very unhappy" about the way the statements are coming from India, from Hasina.

"Professor Yunus is very unhappy about the way the statements are coming from India, from the former Prime Minister. He is quite unhappy about this and I have conveyed this to the High Commissioner (of India)," foreign affairs advisor said.

He also said Bangladesh has conveyed this because it believe in transparent relations. "So whatever actually is there, unless there are some, there are some secret points could be there. Otherwise, we want to make things public. And we have - I have just told him about the displeasure of the chief adviser and let us hope that they take care of it."