Bangladesh's interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, plans to seek the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India. Mohammad Taijul Islam, the newly appointed chief prosecutor of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), announced on Sunday that Bangladesh will take necessary steps to bring Hasina back to face charges. These charges relate to mass killings during student-led protests in July and August, which forced Hasina into exile in India.
The ICT will file an application to issue arrest warrants against Hasina and other accused individuals when it resumes operations. Islam mentioned that gathering and presenting evidence against the accused will be a challenging task. The tribunal needs to collect documents and information from across the country to build a solid case.
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Islam also noted that the interim government will review the ICT Act to accommodate the new cases. The tribunal’s team, including judges and investigators, must be reconstituted as the previous members resigned following the formation of the interim government.
The ICT is investigating Hasina and nine others for "genocide" and “crimes against humanity” linked to the government's response during the protests. According to Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum, over 1,000 people were killed, and many more were injured in the unrest.