Bangladesh's interim government on Monday urged India to immediately extradite deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, hours after a special tribunal sentenced them to death in absentia for "crimes against humanity",
NDTV reports.
"We urge the Indian government to immediately hand over these two convicted individuals to the Bangladeshi authorities," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to the state-run BSS news agency.
It said the existing bilateral extradition agreement between Bangladesh and India marks the transfer of the two convicts as a compulsory responsibility for New Delhi.
The ministry also said that granting shelter to individuals convicted of crimes against humanity would be considered an "unfriendly" act and a disregard for justice.
The International Crimes Tribunal-Bangladesh (ICT-BD) on Monday sentenced Hasina and Kamal to death in absentia for "crimes against humanity" during last year's student uprising.
Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court. Khan is also believed to be in India.
In December last year, Bangladesh sent India a note verbale, requesting Hasina's extradition. India confirmed receipt of the formal diplomatic note but did not comment further.
