Bangladesh Seeks Interpol Help to Detain Former PM Sheikh Hasina

The Bangladesh Police have made a formal request to Interpol for a red corner notice against the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her 11 associates under a conspiracy to eliminate the country’s interim government. This is a substantial escalation of the legal effort to hold Hasina accountable after her overthrow in August 2023 following mass protests and allegations of human rights abuses.

Hasina, who could have been referred to as Prime Minister after leading Bangladesh for 16 years, before escaping to India, has pending charges of multiple original crimes including mass murder, corruption, and mayhem in order to destabilize the interim government of economist Muhammad Yunus. A case involving 73 individuals alleges that they together were going to carry out actions against the government using mass mayhem or violent protests. Police Assistant Inspector General Enamul Haque Sagor confirmed an Interpol warrant at the direction of the government against Hasina due to discoveries made during the police investigations.

A red corner notice would help to find and detain Hasina and others, pending extradition, through the detainment of such fugitives abroad. Sagor said that Interpol "is crucial" in locating these fugitives, and that the cooperation of these agencies is vital. These requests follow a November 2024 request from Bangladesh's Chief Prosecutor's Office to request global assistance in locating Hasina, whom they have called a fugitive.

Hasina’s administration collapsed after a student-led uprising alleged that her government had committed crimes against humanity and human rights violations. Many of Hasina’s own allies were arrested or fled abroad to escape prosecution. The present interim government under Yunus has focused on accountability and referred to the legal proceedings as part of a broader reform process intended to regain the public’s confidence.