Dhaka steps up pressure on Delhi after ICT verdict

A Bangladeshi tribunal has sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death for “crimes against humanity”, but the ousted PM — who has been living in exile on Indian soil since August last year — remains stubbornly defiant. Delivering its verdict after a months-long trial, the country’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) described the Awami League leader as the “mastermind and principal architect” of the brutal crackdown that claimed the lives of hundreds of protesters. The 78-year-old Hasina has rejected the judgment, saying that it has been made by a “rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government”. She has yet again dared the interim rulers to bring these charges against her in the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague. Notably, the Awami League has approached the ICC for a probe into ‘retaliatory violence’ against party officials following the July 2024 uprising.The ICT verdict has emboldened the Bangladesh government to up the ante against Hasina as well as India. The country’s foreign ministry has demanded that the ex-PM be immediately handed over under the extradition treaty between the two neighbours. Putting the onus squarely on New Delhi, the ministry has said that it would be an “an extremely unfriendly act and contempt for justice” if any country were to grant asylum to an individual convicted of crimes against humanity. In a guarded response, India has simply stated that it remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh and will always engage constructively with all stakeholders. Delhi has stopped short of questioning or criticising the judgment, which indicates that it will continue to wait and watch.Hasina has repeatedly claimed that she has been deprived of a fair trial. This argument, along with the prospect of her execution if she returns to her country, gives India valid reasons to stall her extradition. However, Delhi will find itself under greater pressure once an elected government assumes office in Dhaka after the February 2026 elections.

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