Sheikh Hasina's son accuses Yunus Govt of weaponising judiciary for carrying out 'political witch hunt'
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Dec 25, 2024, 12:49 PM ISTSajeeb Wazed, son of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus of “weaponising the judiciary” to conduct a “political witch hunt” against Awami League leaders.
Sajeeb Wazed, son of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus of “weaponising the judiciary” to conduct a “political witch hunt” against Awami League leaders.
Wazed's remarks, shared in a detailed post on X, come just two days after the interim government announced on Monday that it had sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi requesting Hasina's extradition from India.
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The 77-year-old Hasina has been residing in India since August 5 after fleeing Bangladesh amid a massive student-led uprising that ended the Awami League's 16-year rule.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has since issued arrest warrants against Hasina, along with several former Cabinet members, advisers, and military and civil officials, accusing them of “crimes against humanity and genocide.”
“The judges and prosecutors appointed by unelected Yunus led regime to conduct farcical trial process through International Crimes Tribunal makes it a political witch hunt that forsakes justice and marks another ongoing onslaught to persecute Awami League leadership,” Wazed said in his post on Tuesday.
The judges and prosecutors appointed by unelected Yunus led regime to conduct farcical trial process trough International Crimes Tribunal makes it a political witch hunt that forsakes justice and marks another ongoing onslaught to persecute Awami League leadership.
The…
Wazed, an IT entrepreneur based in the US, previously served as an ICT adviser in Hasina's government.
“The kangaroo tribunal and subsequent request for extradition comes while hundreds of leaders and activists are extrajudicially killed, framing of outrageous murder charges, illegal incarceration of thousands by law enforcement and violent attacks including looting vandalism and arson going on with impunity everyday fuelled by denial of the regime,” he added.
On Monday, India acknowledged receiving a 'note verbale'—a formal diplomatic communication—from the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi but chose not to comment further on the matter.
As per the India-Bangladesh extradition treaty, extradition can be denied if the alleged offence is deemed to be of a “political character.”
Bangladesh’s acting foreign minister, Touhid Hossain, stated that Dhaka seeks Sheikh Hasina’s return to face judicial proceedings.
Meanwhile, Sajeeb Wazed accused the Yunus-led regime of appointing Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor of the ICT Tribunal, on December 22, despite his history of defending war criminals. Wazed alleged that Islam launched a deliberate disinformation campaign against Hasina, falsely claiming that Interpol had issued a red notice against her. He described these efforts as a “desperate attempt to extradite Hasina and conduct a sham trial to serve Dr. Yunus’s interests.”
“But the very prosecutor later altered his statement following media exposure of the outright lie and now officially sent a request to India for the extradition,” Hasina's son said.
“We reiterate our position that every single incident of human rights violation between July and August needs to be investigated in a free and fair manner but the Yunus led regime weaponised the judiciary, and we express no confidence in the justice system,” he alleged.
Last month, addressing the nation on the interim government’s completion of 100 days in office, Muhammad Yunus announced that Bangladesh would seek Sheikh Hasina’s extradition. “We must ensure justice for every killing… We will also request India to send back the fallen autocrat Sheikh Hasina,” Yunus said.
Also read: Bangladesh sends India formal note seeking extradition of ousted PM Sheikh Hasina (WATCH)
Yunus, who assumed office on August 8, claimed that around 1,500 people, including students and workers, lost their lives, and 19,931 others were injured during the protests that led to the collapse of Hasina’s government.
India has raised concerns over a series of recent attacks targeting minorities, particularly the Hindu community, in Bangladesh.
In response, Sheikh Hasina has accused the Yunus-led interim government of committing “genocide” and failing to safeguard minorities, especially Hindus, since her ouster.
Two weeks ago, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka and conveyed India’s concerns, emphasizing the safety and welfare of minorities in Bangladesh.
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