NCB preparing fresh letter to Interpol to bring Sheikh Hasina and Kamal back to the country

The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police is preparing to send a new letter to Interpol seeking assistance in bringing back the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both of whom were sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over the killings committed during July’s mass uprising. A copy of the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal will also be attached to the letter.

According to police sources, the letter will be dispatched as soon as the copy of the verdict is received. Earlier, two letters were sent to Interpol requesting the issuance of a Red Notice against Sheikh Hasina, but the organisation had sought clarification regarding the grounds for issuing such a notice.

Last Monday, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in three charges and to life imprisonment in two other charges. Both were absconding during the verdict. On 5 August last year, after resigning in the face of the student and public uprising against discrimination, Sheikh Hasina left for India. Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal also took refuge in India at the same time.

Following the verdict, demands for bringing them back to enforce the ruling have intensified.

AIG (Media & PR) of the Police Headquarters, HM Shahadat Hossain, said that efforts to bring Sheikh Hasina back had already been underway. At that time, as the case was under trial, the issue of sentencing was not included in the letter. Now that the verdict has been delivered, a new letter is being prepared, adding the information regarding the death sentence.

According to relevant sources, although Bangladesh and India have a prisoner extradition treaty, bringing Sheikh Hasina back under that treaty may prove difficult. Therefore, the government is giving greater importance to efforts through Interpol. Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken separate initiatives.

After the verdict, the Adviser to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, stated that a letter had already been sent to bring Sheikh Hasina back, and more letters would be sent if necessary.

Police officials say that the initiative is not a political move but a legal process to return a convicted fugitive. During the earlier letters, she was only a warrant-listed accused; now she is convicted—an important factor in issuing an Interpol notice.

Khaborwala/TSN