The Supreme Court Bar Association of Bangladesh (SCBA) has issued a demand to India to apprehend Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister, and extradite her back to her home country. AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, the SCBA President, in what appears to be a reference to deaths among protestors, accused Hasina of being responsible for the deaths of numerous individuals in Bangladesh. Notably, Khokon holds the position of Joint General Secretary within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the principal opposition force in Bangladesh. The BNP, alongside the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, stands to gain significantly from Hasina’s fall from power. Hasina’s 15-year rule concluded abruptly on Monday when she resigned and fled Bangladesh, seeking refuge abroad. This dramatic turn of events followed weeks of mass demonstrations against her leadership, culminating in a violent Sunday where nearly 100 people lost their lives. As the Bangladesh Army aligned with the protestors, Hasina made the decision to flee for her safety. She currently finds herself in India, awaiting a safe haven in another country where she can spend her remaining days in exile.
“We seek to maintain a positive relationship with the Indian people. We urge you to detain Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, both of whom have fled the country, and return them to Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina is accountable for the deaths of many in Bangladesh,” stated Khokon, as reported by The Daily Star. Rehna is Hasina’s sister, who accompanied her in fleeing to India.
Khokon voiced his opposition to the possibility of an emergency rule, emphasizing that the recent movement was not intended to live under such a regime. He declared that protests will occur if an emergency is implemented. “There are discussions about imposing a state of emergency. We oppose such a government, reminiscent of the administrations of Moeen U Ahmed and Fakhruddin Ahmed. No one, including the student body, desires a state of emergency. They will not accept it and will demonstrate if any steps are taken towards its implementation,” Khokon asserted, according to The Daily Star.
The publication further reported Khokon’s call for the resignation of judges who have engaged in political actions, accusing them of bias against the BNP. “Numerous judges have ordered the remand of BNP members and handed down sentences in fabricated cases, violating their oaths and exhibiting excessive zeal. High Court judges have acquitted Awami League leader Mofazzal Hossain in a case involving the accumulation of illicit wealth, while BNP leaders Iqbal Hassan Mahmud Tuku and Aman Ullah Aman faced imprisonment in similar cases. Judges who have engaged in political judgments, disregarding their oaths, are unfit to continue in their positions. They lack the right to remain in their roles. I urge them to step down within a week. We will publicly disclose their names if they fail to do so,” Khokon stated, as per the newspaper.
