No legal hurdles to bringing Hasina back from India: Zahed

The government will bring ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back from India through the extradition process, as it sees no legal complications in securing her return under the existing treaty between the two countries, Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks at a press briefing at the Secretariat.

“Our government believes that we will extradite a convicted accused. The Indian government must allow us to do so, and there should be no problem for the Indian government at this moment, because the person to be extradited herself wants to return,”Zahed said.

He said Hasina was not merely an accused person but had been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal, with the trial of the crimes against her already completed.

Explaining the process, the adviser said Bangladesh has an extradition treaty with India under which it can seek information about a fugitive, request her arrest and ask the Indian government to hand her over to Bangladesh.

Zahed said legal complications could arise in an extradition process if the person concerned approached a court to challenge it.

However, he believes such a situation is unlikely if Hasina herself wants to return to Bangladesh.

Regarding reports that Hasina had applied for a passport and national identity card, Zahed said she had not personally submitted any application so far.

He said Bangladesh's Press Minister in Delhi had received a letter from a law firm requesting arrangements to issue a passport to Hasina but she had not submitted an application herself.