The Awami League said the extradition request had no importance because the extradition agreement does not cover false cases for political reasons.
The Awami League on Thursday condemned the request made by Bangladesh’s interim government to India for extraditing former premier Sheikh Hasina and alleged that it was part of a conspiracy to kill her “in a farcical trial.”
The Awami League has accused the “unconstitutional and illegal” interim government of snatching “power illegally” and of hatching several conspiracies to kill Hasina. In a statement in Bengali, the party questioned the validity of Dhaka’s extradition request by contending that “false cases for political reasons” are not covered by the 2013 extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh formalized its request to India on December 23 to extradite Hasina, adding to the strain in relations between the two sides. The interim government did not immediately respond to the Awami League’s statement.
Hasina has been in India since she resigned and left Dhaka in August. The external affairs ministry confirmed receiving the extradition request but refused to comment.
The Awami League statement said the party was deeply concerned that the “unconstitutional and illegal so-called interim government, which has seized power illegally, is involved in one conspiracy after another to kill” Hasina. “As part of this, they have recently requested the Indian government through a diplomatic note to extradite [Hasina],” it said.
They want to kill Sheikh Hasina as part of a detailed design in the name of justice,” the statement said. The Awami League alleged that Nahid Islam, the de facto information and broadcasting minister, and other officials of the interim government have publicly stated that “they will hang Sheikh Hasina.”
