Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is now preparing to escalate its pursuit of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal by formally involving Interpol. This move comes only days after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka handed both leaders death sentences in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the July–August 2024 unrest. According to multiple Bangladeshi media reports, Yunus’s administration is working closely with ICT prosecutors to initiate fresh Red Notices targeting the two political figures, who are currently believed to be in India.
The plan to approach Interpol follows a parallel effort within Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, which earlier announced that it was preparing a diplomatic communication to New Delhi requesting the extradition of Hasina and Kamal. Both leaders fled Bangladesh after the student-led protests spiralled into violent clashes, were infiltrated by Islamist groups, and ultimately toppled Hasina’s long-standing government. Sheikh Hasina has since been living in exile in New Delhi, while Kamal—who recently gave a televised interview but refused to reveal his location—is also widely thought to be somewhere inside India.
ICT prosecutors say they are now transitioning from earlier arrest-warrant-based red-notice requests to requests based on fresh conviction warrants. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim stated that Interpol had already received documentation tied to the tribunal’s original arrest warrants and that a new request would now be made, citing the conviction itself. This, he argued, would strengthen Bangladesh’s case for classifying Hasina and Kamal as “fugitives” under international law.
The Yunus administration has also confirmed its intention to formally ask India for its extradition. Law adviser Asif Nazrul announced that Dhaka would soon send an official note verbale to New Delhi, reiterating its demand for the duo’s return. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry previously attempted a similar request in December 2024 but never received a response from India. New Delhi has so far taken a cautious line, saying it remains committed to the welfare of the Bangladeshi people and will “engage constructively with all stakeholders” without explicitly addressing the extradition question.
Whether India can or will comply remains a matter of intense legal and diplomatic debate. The 2013 extradition treaty between the two countries obligates cooperation on convicted fugitives, but it also permits refusal when cases are deemed politically motivated. Legal experts in both countries note that Hasina’s conviction—issued by a tribunal established by an unelected interim government and criticised for procedural irregularities—may fall squarely into the treaty’s “political offence” exception. Hasina’s lawyers and the Awami League argue that the tribunal’s proceedings were fundamentally biased, citing the removal of judges, restricted defence participation, and a rushed trial process.
Hasina and Kamal have both denounced their sentences as products of a politically driven vendetta designed to eliminate the Awami League from Bangladesh’s political landscape. Kamal went further, implying that Pakistan’s reaction to the verdict exposed deeper geopolitical manipulation at play. Analysts say these competing narratives will shape how India approaches Dhaka’s request, especially given New Delhi’s longstanding relationship with Hasina, its security concerns about terrorism in Bangladesh, and growing instability following the 2024 upheaval.
As Bangladesh intensifies its push for extradition through both diplomatic and Interpol channels, regional observers are watching closely. India’s eventual decision could redefine its role in South Asian politics and determine the fate of a leader who dominated Bangladesh’s political arena for over a decade.
