Second Arrest Warrant Against Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh: Will the Former Prime Minister Flee the Country?
A second arrest warrant has been issued against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in connection with forced disappearances. This new warrant was issued on January 6, and follows her previous asylum in India after her ouster from office. To date, three cases have been filed against Hasina in Bangladesh’s courts.
Dhaka: Bangladesh’s International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) has issued a second arrest warrant against Sheikh Hasina, along with 11 others including former military generals and former police chiefs, for involvement in forced disappearance cases.
This latest arrest warrant, issued on January 6, marks the second time a warrant has been issued against Hasina since she took refuge in India following her removal from office. The Bangladeshi judiciary has filed three cases against her so far.
In relation to hundreds of forced disappearance cases, the court has ordered the arrest of 12 individuals, including Hasina, and instructed the police to present them before the court on February 12. Among those named in the case are Hasina’s former defense advisor, Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique, and former IGP Benazir Ahmed. Siddique is currently in custody, while Ahmed is believed to be in hiding.
Bangladesh Court Issues Second Arrest Warrant For Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina@VishalV054 Reports#SheikhHasina pic.twitter.com/xg5EWc5uDS
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 6, 2025
What the Law Says
Regarding the second arrest warrant issued against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India’s former Additional Solicitor General and President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Vikas Singh, spoke to ANI. He explained, “The International Criminal Tribunal in Bangladesh is a domestic court established based on the country’s own laws. The court recognizes certain international crimes, and this arrest warrant is issued by Bangladesh’s domestic court. For this warrant to be enforced, Hasina would need to be extradited from India. Only after her extradition can the warrant be executed.”
Vikas Singh clarified that there are certain protections for an individual facing extradition. “One of the protections is that political crimes cannot lead to extradition. Another safeguard is that the punishment in the requesting country must not be more severe than what would be imposed for the same crime in the country where the individual is sought,” he said.
“Therefore, considering all these protective measures and other safeguards, Bangladesh would have to go to the Indian court to seek the enforcement of extradition. In such a scenario, it’s doubtful whether extradition would be granted,” Singh concluded.
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