Bangladesh has formally sent a letter to India requesting the extradition of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal – four days after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) delivered its landmark verdict.
The letter was dispatched on Friday—just a day after National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman returned from New Delhi, where he met his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval to discuss key bilateral issues.
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain confirmed the development on Sunday afternoon while leaving his office, telling reporters, “The letter was sent on Friday.”
The request comes amid renewed focus on the fate of the ousted prime minister, who has been convicted on multiple charges of crimes against humanity related to the July–August uprising.
The verdict delivered on 17 November also found former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun guilty.
On Monday, ICT-1 sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for crimes against humanity committed during the mass uprising, while Abdullah Al-Mamun received a five-year prison term.
Significance of the timing
Sending the extradition letter four days after the verdict is widely viewed as a calculated diplomatic step. The timing coincides with ongoing efforts by Dhaka and Delhi to repair their strained relationship following the fall of the Hasina government last year. It is no secret that Dhaka and Delhi held a high-profile meeting where both NSAs discussed key bilateral issues, and this was publicly acknowledged through an official press release.”
Former ambassador Mashfee Binte Shams said, “Timing is important in diplomacy. Sending the letter after four days may well be part of a strategic approach and it is not unusual.”
The foreign ministry typically selects the most appropriate moment for sending sensitive communications, assessing multiple geopolitical and bilateral considerations and it is general practice all over the world, she added.
One former diplomat added, “It makes sense. Dhaka and Delhi appear to be working toward a forward-looking engagement, and neither side would have wanted any disruptive noise—such as an abrupt extradition request—during the NSA discussion.”
However, there was no official reaction of the NSA meeting other than two-para press release. Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma was supposed to speak at the Bey of Bengal Conversation on Sunday, but he did not show up. Khalilur Rahman is supposed to take part in a public seminar on Tuesday, but that is rescheduled also.
