Bangladesh's interim govt to seek Interpol support to repatriate Sheikh Hasina
Dhaka, Nov 10: Bangladesh's interim government on Sunday said it will seek Interpol's assistance in repatriating deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India, and other "fugitives", to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity.
Hasina and her party leaders face accusations of ordering brutal suppression of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, resulting in numerous casualties during the July-August protests. The movement later intensified into a large-scale uprising, forcing Hasina to secretly flee to India on August 5.
According to the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, at least 753 people were killed and thousands injured during the protests, which it termed crimes against humanity and genocide. Over 60 complaints of crimes against humanity and genocide have been filed against Hasina and her party leaders with the ICT and the prosecution team till mid-October.
"A Red Notice will be issued through Interpol very soon. No matter where in the world these fugitive fascists are hiding, they will be brought back and held accountable in court," Law Affairs adviser Asif Nazrul told reporters here after inspecting the status of renovation at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which is housed in the Old High Court building on the Supreme Court premises.
Officials said a Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant, but rather a global request for law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. Interpol member countries enforce Red Notices according to their own national laws.
The ICT was originally formed by the Hasina-led Awami League government in March 2010 to try the perpetrators of the crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War. It later formed ICT-2, and at least six Jamaat-e-Islami and leaders of Hasina's arch rival Khaleeda Zia's BNP party were executed following the judgments of the two tribunals. The tribunal remained dormant since mid-June after its chairman retired.
The interim government reconstituted the tribunal on October 12.
On October 17, the tribunal issued arrest warrants against Hasina and 45 others, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and several of her former cabinet members.
The interim government had earlier said that Hasina and several of her cabinet colleagues and Awami League leaders will be tried in this special tribunal.
However, Chief Adviser Yunus in an interview with the UK-based Financial Times newspaper last month said his government would not immediately seek Hasina’s extradition from India, an approach seen as preventing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
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T''gana govt accorded top priority to Muslim welfare, development : CM Reddy
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday said the Congress government has accorded top priority to the welfare and development of the Muslim community in the state.
Speaking at the 'Iftar' event hosted by the state government here, he observed that Ramzan is the holy month of spiritual purification.
"We must foster brotherhood and live together in communal harmony," Reddy said while cautioning that some political forces are attempting to create communal tension by dividing people in the country.
"This government is yours. I am your brother. All must stand unitedly to take Telangana and the country forward. Your prayers are very important for the government. Some people try to create divisions amongst us and we should not fall into it," he said.
He highlighted substantial allocation of funds to the Muslim minorities in every government initiative.
Telangana ministers including Mohammad Azharuddin, AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi were among those who were present on the occasion.
