BNP Secretary-General asks India to extradite Hasina to face trial

DHAKA: Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday asked India to extradite deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to face trial as he accused her of plotting to thwart the country’s student-led “revolution”.

“It is our call to you that you should hand her over to the government of Bangladesh in a legal way. The people of this country have given the decision for her trial. Let her face that trial,” Fakhrul was quoted as saying by the Daily Star newspaper.

Talking to reporters after placing a wreath at the grave of former president and BNP founder Zia-ur Rahman in the city, Fakhrul said India is seemingly not keeping its commitment towards democracy by providing shelter to her.

Fakhrul said fascist ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country in the face of the student-led “revolution”.

“It is unfortunate that our neighbouring country has sheltered her. Staying there, Hasina has started a conspiracy to foil the victory of Bangladesh,” he was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.

India has said that it supports a democratic, stable, peaceful and progressive Bangladesh.

The BNP secretary general said the people of this country do not consider her offences as minor.

He said they think her “fascist rule has weakened Bangladesh’s independence and hindered the country’s progress for the last 15 years”.

The main task of this interim government, which was formed through a revolution and mass upsurge, is to hand over the power to the public representatives by holding an election, Fakhrul added.

“It will definitely take some time to clear the garbage the Awami League government created. It will take time to hold a proper and fair election,” he said.