Bangladesh mulling to seek Hasina's extradition as cases against her grow

DHAKA: Bangladesh will decide whether to ask India to extradite former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who resigned and fled to New Delhi last week, the country's de-facto foreign minister Mohammad Touhid Hossain said on Thursday, as cases against her, including murder accusations, grow.

Hossain said in an interview he did not want to speculate, but noted that Hasina was facing "so many cases". If the country's home and law ministries decided, "we have to ask for her...return to Bangladesh", he said.

"That creates an embarrassing situation for the Indian government," he said, adding India "knows this and I am sure they will take care of it". He did not elaborate.

India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

Hasina fled the country for India on August 5 after a violent uprising against her led to nearly 300 people getting killed, including many students. She has been named in two murder cases already, along with senior members of her cabinet.

Ataur Rahman, deputy director of the investigation cell of International Crimes Tribunal, a domestic court, said it had launched a third case — an investigation against ten people, including Hasina, for murder, torture and genocide during the period of the protests.

At least three of Hasina's former ministers and advisers have already been arrested in Bangladesh.

In her only statement since her ouster, Hasina has demanded a probe into the killings and vandalism during the protests. She has not commented on the charges against her.

Hossain, a retired diplomat, is the adviser on foreign affairs in the interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus, which was sworn in last week after Hasina's ouster.

The council of advisers includes other retired officials, lawyers, student leaders of the protests and some opposition politicians.