Bangladesh to seek Hasina's extradition from India after violent protests: Yunus

In a dramatic turn, Bangladesh's caretaker chief, Muhammad Yunus, on Sunday said his government is likely to ask India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Yunus came into office after an uprising marked by violent clashes between security forces and anti-government protesters that left nearly 1,500 civilians, students, and workers dead in July and August. Yunus has blamed Hasina for the violence.

In a speech before the nation on the 100th day of his caretaker government, Yunus also condemned Hasina's acts, calling her a "fascist leader" who abandoned the country in chaos. This is a mass uprising where there was unprecedented public dissent; she was forced to resign and flee to India on August 5," he explained. Yunus was sworn in as the caretaker chief executive head on August 8, at a moment of crisis when Bangladesh was thrown into political and social chaos.

The July-August protests "resulted in over 19,000 injured due to violent clashes between demonstrators and the police.". Yunus pointed to the mishandling by police and the government during this period as among the factors that had resulted in this pathetic state of affairs. This set administration on its quest for finding justice and accountability for those who lost their lives in the protests. "We are diligently compiling information about every single death," Yunus said, reiterating that his government is keen on delivering justice for the victims.

The Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal, established in 2010 to prosecute war criminals and perpetrators of crimes against humanity, is conducting an inquiry against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. An arrest warrant was issued by the tribunal against Hasina on October 17th along with against 45 others who include some top leaders in the Awami League party headed by Hasina. The crimes against Hasina listed are genocide, crimes against humanity, and plotting mass killings while the waves of protests were on.

Yunus confirmed that the investigations into these deaths and crimes are going well under his government and promised justice for all victims of the unrest of July and August. Tension between Bangladesh and its former prime minister, Hasina, received another boost yesterday when the tribunal ordered her to appear before it by November 18.

This has left the political climate in Bangladesh still fragile, but Yunus's administration has made it clear that they will not relent until there is absolute accountability. In rebuilding a country shattered by violence, they are also pursuing Hasina's extradition from India, seeking justice for the lives lost during the deadly protests.

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