Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has “no option” left but to face the execution of the death sentence awarded to her if she returns to the country, according to Md Aminul Islam, the chief prosecutor of the country’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
The prosecutor’s statement follows reports that Hasina, currently in India after being ousted in August 2024, requested a new passport and identity card to return and surrender before a court. Her request, submitted via her London-based lawyers to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, was rejected by Dhaka.
Prosecutor Islam questioned Hasina’s intentions, noting that she failed to return during the trial or file an appeal within the mandatory 30-day window following the verdict.
Citing the Bangladesh Passport Order of 1973, Islam stated that the law prohibits issuing travel documents to individuals convicted of serious offences, including crimes against humanity. He added that if Hasina genuinely intended to return, she should request the Indian government to hand her over under the bilateral extradition treaty.
Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Humaiun Kobir, echoed the stance, asserting that Dhaka expects her return strictly through official extradition channels.
Tensions remain high between New Delhi and Dhaka over her continued presence in India, even as Bangladesh’s newly elected government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman maintains pressure for her extradition.
