Bangladesh seeks return from India of fugitive former home minister who was sentenced to death

Bangladesh has sent a formal extradition request to neighboring India for former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, a close ally of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who was sentenced to death, a top diplomat said Monday.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam told reporters in the capital Dhaka that they recently sent a letter to New Delhi regarding the ex-home minister.

Separate letters have also been sent requesting the return of individuals who have absconded to India after being legally convicted by courts in Bangladesh.

Earlier in the day, the Dhaka based International Crimes Tribunal, which handed down the death penalty to Kamal, disclosed that a letter had been sent to India through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs again seeking his extradition.

In November last year, Bangladesh's interim government sent a letter seeking the extradition of Hasina and Kamal under the extradition treaty currently in force between the two countries.

"We have repeatedly said before that Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will be brought back to the country, and his return will be made according to the diplomatic principles and protocols and the extradition treaty with India. In a similar way, Hasina and other accused will be dealt with," said Obaed.

"We sent it very recently, and we will be waiting for their response on this. And we hope that India will give a positive reply and they will fulfill their responsibility to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries," she added.

Earlier, India responded, saying they would examine extradition requests and take the next course of action accordingly.

Both Hasina and Kamal have been in exile in India after the 2024 monsoon uprising.

Around 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured in the uprising, according to the UN. Apart from law enforcement, members and affiliates of the former ruling Awami League party actively participated in the deadly crackdown on the student-led uprising which ended Hasina's 15-year rule.

In November of last year, they received death sentences after being held legally accountable for the killings under the doctrine of official command responsibility.