PTC Web Desk: The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh is preparing to seek Interpol’s assistance to extradite former 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 in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the July–August 2024 protests.

According to multiple Bangladeshi media reports, the ICT prosecution team has initiated the process of requesting an Interpol Red Notice. As per prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim, an application had already been filed with Interpol based on the tribunal’s arrest warrant. He added that prosecutors would now push for a new Red Notice grounded in the conviction warrant issued this week.

Sheikh Hasina and Kamal were tried and sentenced in their absence after reportedly fleeing Bangladesh following violent unrest last year. Hasina is believed to be in New Delhi, while Kamal, who recently spoke to India Today TV without confirming his location, is also suspected to be somewhere in India.

One of the co-accused, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, avoided a death sentence after turning state witness and was instead handed a five-year jail term.

Following the verdict, Asif Nazrul, Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs in the Yunus administration, confirmed that Dhaka would formally write to India seeking the pair’s extradition. The foreign ministry has reportedly been finalising the communication and may send it within days. Officials also revealed that an earlier letter requesting Hasina’s extradition was sent to India in December 2024, but New Delhi did not respond.

India reacted cautiously to the latest developments, stating that it remains committed to the “best interests of the people of Bangladesh” and will continue constructive engagement with all parties.

Last year, Bangladeshi authorities had already sought Interpol Red Notices for 12 suspects, including Hasina, in connection with similar charges.

Although India and Bangladesh share a 2013 extradition treaty obligating both countries to hand over convicted fugitives, the agreement includes a key exception: extradition may be refused in cases deemed political in nature. Legal experts say this clause could complicate any request involving Hasina, given the political turmoil that preceded her ouster.

Under ICT procedures, both Hasina and Kamal are required to surrender and file appeals within 30 days of their sentencing. However, their parties have rejected the tribunal’s decision, calling the process flawed and politically motivated. The Awami League described the verdict as the outcome of a “rigged tribunal” formed by an “unelected government.”