BD may approach ICC

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof Dr Asif Nazrul on Thursday said after the ICT verdict against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, India now carried "an additional responsibility" under the bilateral extradition treaty to return her.

He was addressing a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday,

Sheikh Hasina and her long-time home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal were both sentenced to death this week by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on charges of crimes against humanity.

They fled to India after the collapse of the Awami League government in July.

"Since them they are now convicted and sentenced to death, we believe India has an additional responsibility to return them in order to fulfil the Bangladeshi people's desire for justice," Nazrul told reporters at the Foreign Service Academy. "We are reminding India to fulfil its obligations under the extradition agreement, and for that reason we are sending this letter."

Nazrul confirmed that the government would dispatch a formal request to New Delhi seeking the extradition of both Hasina and Kamal following the tribunal's verdict.

The adviser also signalled that the government was considering taking the issue beyond bilateral diplomacy. He said Dhaka was examining the possibility of approaching the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Rome to press for the return of the convicted former leaders, though Bangladesh is not a state party to the Rome Statute.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com