Bangladesh has instructed neighbor India that it needs former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to New Delhi in August, again within the nation for “judicial course of”, the performing head of the nation’s international ministry mentioned on Monday.
Ties between the South Asian neighbours, who’ve sturdy commerce and cultural hyperlinks, have develop into fraught since Hasina was ousted following violent protests in opposition to her rule and he or she took refuge throughout the border.
Dhaka’s request to New Delhi on Monday got here two weeks after India’s international secretary visited Bangladesh and the 2 nations mentioned they hoped to clear the cloud and pursue constructive relations.
“We despatched a word verbale to the Indian authorities saying that the Bangladesh authorities needs her (Hasina) again right here for judicial course of,” Touhid Hossain instructed reporters, referring to diplomatic correspondence between the 2 nations.
Hossain didn’t elaborate on the judicial course of.
India’s international ministry and Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, didn’t instantly reply to requests searching for remark.
The top of Bangladesh’s interim authorities, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has demanded that India ship Hasina again in order that Bangladesh can strive her for what it says are crimes in opposition to protestors and her opponents, and crimes she is accused of committing throughout her tenure over the previous 15 years.
Yunus has additionally been upset with Hasina for criticizing his administration from New Delhi.
Hasina faces quite a few expenses, together with crimes in opposition to humanity, genocide, and homicide, amongst others. She denies the fees.
Indian Overseas Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka this month and reiterated India’s dedication to pursuing a constructive relationship with Dhaka.
New Delhi has mentioned that Hasina got here to India at a brief discover for “security causes” and continues to stay right here, with out elaborating.
Bangladesh has launched a probe into the alleged $5 billion embezzlement related to a Russian-backed nuclear energy plant by ousted chief Sheikh Hasina and her household, the anti-corruption fee mentioned Monday.
Together with Hasina, the now-former prime minster who fled to India after being toppled by a revolution in August, these topic to the inquiry embody her son, Sajeeb Wazed Pleasure, and niece, Tulip Siddiq, a British lawmaker and authorities minister.
The allegations have been raised by a writ searching for an investigation filed within the excessive courtroom by Hasina’s political opponent, Bobby Hajjaj, chairman of the Nationalist Democratic Motion celebration.
“We search justice by means of our courtroom”, Hajjaj instructed AFP on Monday.
Bangladesh’s Yunus urges unity to counter ‘Indian aggression’
Key allegations are related to the funding of the $12.65 billion Rooppur nuclear plant, the South Asian nation’s first, which is bankrolled by Moscow with a 90 p.c mortgage.
An announcement Monday from the fee mentioned it had launched an inquiry into allegations that Hasina and members of the family had “embezzled $5 billion” from the Rooppur plant through “numerous offshore financial institution accounts in Malaysia”.
It mentioned its investigations have been inspecting “questionable procurement practices associated to the overpriced building” of the plant.
“The claims of kickbacks, mismanagement, cash laundering, and potential abuse of energy elevate important considerations in regards to the integrity of the mission and the usage of public funds”, the fee mentioned.
Graft allegations additionally embody theft from a authorities constructing scheme for the homeless.
Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter on August 5 into exile in India, infuriating many Bangladeshis decided that she face trial for alleged “mass homicide”.
It was not attainable to contact Hasina for remark.
Siddiq has “denied any involvement within the claims” accusing her of involvement in embezzlement, in accordance with an announcement from the British prime minister’s workplace.
Pleasure, who is known to be based mostly in the USA, was additionally unavailable for remark.