Two cases have been registered against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The first case is related to murder. Whereas, the second case is related to kidnapping. Two cases have been registered against Sheikh Hasina in two days.
Along with Sheikh Hasina, six leaders of her party Awami League have also been made accused in the murder related case. On July 19, Abu Saeed, who ran a grocery shop in Mohammadpur area of Dhaka, was murdered. He was murdered during the students’ demonstration.
At the same time, the case of kidnapping has been registered by Supreme Court lawyer Sohail Rana. Sohail Rana alleges that he was kidnapped on 10 February 2015. He was kidnapped and tortured and released in August.
After registering one case after another, now a big problem has arisen not only for Sheikh Hasina but also for India. Sheikh Hasina has been in India since her resignation on August 5.
Why is it difficult for India?
Sheikh Hasina’s long stay in India can create problems. Actually, there is an extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh. The extradition treaty was signed between the two countries in January 2013.
Due to the extradition treaty, the Bangladesh government can demand that India arrest Sheikh Hasina and hand her over so that the case can be prosecuted. Interestingly, talks regarding the extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh progressed only after Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister in 2009.
Actually, India was demanding the extradition of Anoop Chetia, who was lodged in Dhaka jail for a long time. Anoop Chetia was the leader of the separatist organization ULFA of Assam. In 1997, he was arrested for entering Bangladesh without valid documents. Anup Chetia was handed over to India in November 2015 after the extradition treaty was signed in 2013.
Well, now there is an interim government in Bangladesh. Mohammad Yunus is its leader. In such a situation, the demand for extradition of Sheikh Hasina has also started rising. The Bar Association of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has demanded India to arrest and hand over Sheikh Hasina.
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How long will Sheikh Hasina stay in India?
Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana are in India since August 5. She came to India in the evening on the same day she resigned. At present Sheikh Hasina and her sister are in a secure location.
It was being told that Sheikh Hasina can go to London from India. However, there is no possibility of this right now. Dhaka Tribune has quoted its sources as saying that Sheikh Hasina will remain in India for a few more days.
It is believed that Sheikh Hasina will not stay in India for very long. Because if she stays then the demand for her extradition may intensify. She can go to a country where the chances of her extradition are less or nonexistent.
Why is India not safe for Sheikh Hasina?
At present Sheikh Hasina is in a safe place in India, but it will not be safe for her to stay here for a long time. Because cases are being registered against him. In such a situation, the Bangladesh government can put pressure on India to extradite him.
There is a provision in the extradition treaty between the two countries that if a person has committed a crime which has a provision of punishment of at least one year, then he will be extradited.
It is written in the treaty that if a person has committed any crime of political nature then his extradition can also be refused. However, extradition of a person involved in crimes like murder, genocide and kidnapping cannot be refused.
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What can India do in such a situation?
Sheikh Hasina’s relations with India have always been good. If extradition is demanded by the government of Bangladesh, it may create a situation of confusion in front of India.
It is believed that even if such a demand is made, India can refuse the extradition of Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina’s refusal to extradite may sour relations between India and Bangladesh. Along with this, anti-India sentiments may also flare up in Bangladesh.
However, India’s policy has been to ignore such resentment and keep its interests above all else. Despite China’s objection and the 1962 war, India has given shelter to the Dalai Lama for decades. Similarly, the family of Mohammad Najibullah, who has been the President of Afghanistan since 1992, is also living in India.
At the same time, in 2021, when Taliban took over power in Afghanistan, India allegedly refused to grant asylum to President Ashraf Ghani. In July 2022, India had also refused to grant asylum to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya. Later Rajapaksa went to Maldives.
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Will Sheikh Hasina return?
At present, Sheikh Hasina has become the ‘vanguard’ of Bangladesh politics. Now Sheikh Hasina’s future largely depends on the army there. It is believed that the Bangladesh Army can do the same to Sheikh Hasina as the Pakistani Army did to Pervez Musharraf. With the help of Pakistani Army, Musharraf went to Dubai and lived his life there till his death. Bangladesh Army can also offer something similar.
However, a few days ago, Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, head of home affairs in the interim government of Bangladesh, had appealed to Sheikh Hasina to return.
Hussain had said, Sheikh Hasina had gone on her own and now she should return. But don’t come back and create a ruckus, because this will anger people even more. Interim government head Mohammad Yunus had also said that Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India is not right.
Recently, Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wajed Joy had said in an interview to Aaj Tak that she wants to return to Bangladesh. Wajed had said that she has not applied for asylum in any country, she wants to return to Bangladesh soon.