Government will act under extradition treaty if Hasina wants to return

If ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina wants to return to the country, the government will take the necessary steps under the existing extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said this when the issue of Hasina's return came up at a meeting of the BNP parliamentary party at the National Parliament building on Monday afternoon, according to meeting sources. Reuters reported yesterday that Sheikh Hasina has sought a new passport and national identity card (NID) to return home. Lawyers from the London-based legal advisory firm Matrix Chambers have written to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on her behalf.

Early yesterday, the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi received an email from Matrix Chambers on behalf of the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The email sought a new passport and national identity card for Hasina. In the letter addressed to acting high commissioner Preeti Rahman, they said it is understood that the authorities have cancelled Sheikh Hasina's Bangladeshi passport and NID, and in that situation they requested that the necessary steps be taken to issue her a new Bangladeshi passport and NID. Contacting the foreign ministry in Dhaka, it was learnt that the mission has sent a message to Dhaka to seek further instructions on the email.

Reuters noted that this is the first passport and NID-related application from Sheikh Hasina since she fled to India on 5 August 2024 in the face of a student-people uprising. In an interview with Reuters last July, Sheikh Hasina said she wished to return in December and surrender before the court.

The letter also said that, considering Sheikh Hasina's Bangladeshi citizenship and Bangladesh's obligations under various international human rights treaties, her applications should be disposed of quickly.

The meeting was chaired by Leader of the House and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the ruling party's meeting room in parliament in the afternoon, before the fourth session of the 13th National Parliament began. Several MPs present at the meeting said the prime minister made no statement on the rumours of Sheikh Hasina's return, but hinted: 'We took to the streets on 7 November. We will remain on the streets. From the streets we will have to confront all conspiracies.'

At yesterday's meeting of the BNP parliamentary party, the return of Sheikh Hasina, president of the Awami League whose activities are banned, came up briefly. On the matter, the home minister said there is an extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India, and the government will take the necessary steps following the rules, laws and established practice.

An MP present at the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity, said MPs were given an idea of what to say about Hasina's return. A responsible minister said they were told to say that if Sheikh Hasina wants to return, she should be brought back under the extradition treaty with India.

Earlier, at a press briefing on contemporary issues at the home ministry, the home minister said the authenticity and legal basis of the news that Sheikh Hasina has applied for a new passport and NID to return home are being verified.

When his attention was drawn to the matter, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir told Prothom Alo at the foreign ministry yesterday noon that there is no way to understand that the Matrix Chambers application is Sheikh Hasina's application, because the email sent by the law firm contained no document or proof relating to Sheikh Hasina's 'authorisation'. When an institution applies on someone's behalf, that person's authorisation is there.

Earlier, in reply to journalists' questions, the state minister for foreign affairs said the basis of the UK legal advisory firm's application is legally, ethically and morally weak. Any law firm should know who its client really is. Their client, he said, is a person who killed more than 1,500 people and fled Bangladesh. He said that instead of chasing blood-stained money looted from the Bangladeshi people, they should observe some ethical and professional boundaries. He said such unethical representation of a fugitive terrorist would embarrass them on the international stage.

The state minister for foreign affairs added that no ordinary passport application will work in the case of fugitive criminals. Through legal and diplomatic processes, under a prisoner exchange treaty, Sheikh Hasina will be brought back to the country and made to face trial.

Calling the application for a new passport and NID 'utterly ridiculous', the state minister said that if Sheikh Hasina really wants to return, there is a specific legal process for her. There is no chance of returning with a new passport. There is an extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India. If Sheikh Hasina wishes, she can request the Indian government to hand her over to Bangladesh under that treaty. He also spoke of her returning, surrendering before the court and serving her sentence.

The state minister for foreign affairs further said, 'Is Sheikh Hasina coming to visit her in-laws' house that she should be given a passport?'

To learn about the matter, Reuters contacted Preeti Rahman in New Delhi and the spokespersons of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka, but they did not immediately respond to Reuters' request, the report said. Reuters reported that before being ousted, the Awami League was the largest political party in Bangladesh. After Sheikh Hasina's fall, the party's activities were banned. Many of its leaders and activists are in jail, while many are in voluntary exile in India or other countries.

Sheikh Hasina ruled Bangladesh as prime minister for 20 years across different terms. A tribunal has sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death over the July killings. Meeting sources said that at the meeting, the prime minister cautioned the commerce minister in advance to keep the prices of daily essentials affordable ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. The commerce minister assured the prime minister that prices of goods will not rise during Ramadan and the market will remain stable. The meeting also discussed ongoing road development work under the local government and communications ministries, and the fuel and electricity situation. The prime minister sought details of the work of their respective ministries from several ministers. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed briefed them on the country's law and order situation.