India justified in stalling Sheikh Hasina’s extradition

IT’s no surprise that Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has indicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on several charges, including mass murder, for her alleged role in the violent crackdown on protesters last year. The outcome was a foregone conclusion after Hasina, who has been living in exile in India after she was ousted 10 months ago, defied Dhaka’s arrest warrant to face trial in person. Her party, the Awami League, has accused “anti-national and anti-independence forces” of staging a mock trial against her in a kangaroo court. The indictment, along with a fresh arrest warrant issued by the tribunal, will embolden the interim government to step up pressure on India to extradite Hasina. New Delhi is not keen to send the former PM back for obvious reasons. Her trial will inevitably be politically motivated and she could face the death penalty. It’s true that her tenure was marked by brutal repression, but the irony is that a revival of democracy has remained elusive in Bangladesh even after her exit. Her political rivals seem bent on punishing Hasina and her supporters rather than initiating long-term reforms. Another important factor is her deep-rooted ties with India — she was rescued by Indian troops during the 1971 war and later took refuge in Delhi after her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and several other family members were massacred in 1975. Hasina has always been prompt in expressing gratitude to India for supporting her through thick and thin. India will prefer to protect such a dependable ally as far as possible, also because its relationship with the current government in Bangladesh is anything but cordial. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has repeatedly alleged that external forces, including India, might be behind efforts to destabilise Bangladesh. New Delhi is obviously upset about these insinuations, and the ill-treatment of the Hindu minority in that country as well as the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants has only worsened bilateral tensions. Under the circumstances, it makes sense for India to let Hasina stay on.

Editorials