Bangladesh to pursue Hasina, convicted AL leaders’ extradition
Bangladesh will take all necessary legal and diplomatic steps to seek the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other convicted Awami League leaders from India, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said on Wednesday.
“We are taking and will continue to take all necessary steps under existing laws to extradite convicted criminals, including the former Prime Minister of the fascist government and those sentenced yesterday,” she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shama said Bangladesh was already pursuing the extradition of several individuals currently in India through the existing extradition treaty, with official correspondence being exchanged between the two countries.
As the latest verdict was delivered only on Tuesday, she said the Foreign Ministry would formally approach the Indian government after receiving the necessary documents.
“Once we officially receive all the necessary paperwork, we will contact the Indian government through due process to take whatever steps are required,” she said.
The government would take all legal measures necessary to bring convicted individuals back to Bangladesh to face justice, she added.
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Tuesday sentenced seven Awami League leaders to death in absentia for crimes against humanity linked to the July 2024 uprising.
The convicts include former Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader and former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat.
The other five are Awami League joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Jubo League chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Jubo League general secretary Md Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Bangladesh Chhatra League president Md Saddam Hossain and its general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan.
Asked specifically about former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, whose extradition Bangladesh had previously sought, Shama said diplomatic communication with India was continuing.
“We have not yet received a definitive answer from India,” she said.
She added that India might have its own internal legal procedures to follow and that the process could therefore take time.
“These efforts will continue until we successfully bring them back to Bangladeshi soil,” Shama said.
Hasina and Kamal were sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal in November 2025 in cases related to crimes against humanity during the July 2024 uprising.
Hasina fled to India in August 2024 following the fall of her government. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her return, while Indian authorities have said the request is being examined through established procedures.
Migration concerns
The state minister made the extradition remarks while speaking about government efforts to streamline overseas migration and curb the use of forged documents.
She said an inter-ministerial meeting held on Tuesday was a brainstorming session involving relevant ministries and agencies to develop a more coordinated approach to fraudulent documentation, illegal syndicates and middlemen involved in overseas migration.
Bangladeshis seeking to migrate often fall victim to illegal syndicates and middlemen who use or facilitate fraudulent documents, she said.
“How can we address those areas?” she asked, stressing the need for greater public awareness and closer coordination among government agencies.
“Our primary objective is to enable more Bangladeshi brothers and sisters to travel abroad legally as skilled workers,” she said.
Representatives of the Passport Office, Immigration, Police, Special Branch, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Law attended the meeting.
Given the involvement of multiple agencies, a joint committee has been designated as the focal point for coordinating the government’s efforts.
Shama also referred to the government’s “One Citizen, One Card” initiative, being implemented under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Under the initiative, information relating to an individual will be brought together in a centralised database, she said.
“Once that is implemented, these processes will become much easier, and the scope for dishonest syndicates or middleman networks using fraudulent documents will shrink significantly,” Shama said.
Until the system is fully implemented, however, she said the government must ensure that citizens travelling abroad leave the country with proper and verified documents.
The Foreign Ministry has also taken several initiatives to streamline migration-related services, including the establishment of a dedicated Migration Wing.
Agrément reports
The state minister also urged the media to refrain from publishing reports about India’s alleged delay in granting agrément, or diplomatic approval, for Bangladesh’s incoming high commissioner to New Delhi.
Reports in Bangladeshi and Indian media had suggested that the Indian government had not yet accepted the appointment or was deliberately delaying its approval.
Shama said such reports should not be treated as confirmed unless either government issued an official statement.
“My stance on this is very clear: I would request everyone not to pay heed to or publish such news reports until an official statement or concrete information is issued by either the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Government of India,” she said.
