Hasina's extradition is interim govt's priority: Official

Dhaka: The extradition of Sheikh Hasina is the priority of the Bangladesh interim govt and she will be tried for cases of "crimes against humanity", the chief adviser's press secretary Shafiqul Alam said Sunday, even as Dhaka waits for a response from India on its Dec 23 request to hand over the ousted PM.

"We will try our best. She must face the trial. I think pressure will build on. Our pressure will relentlessly be there," he said while addressing a press conference. He added such pressure will be mobilised worldwide and nobody wants to give space to a "killer".

The request for Hasina's extradition, which was made through a note verbale, followed an arrest warrant issued earlier for her alleged involvement in "crimes against humanity" to suppress mass protests. The Bangladesh foreign ministry had earlier said the 2013 extradition treaty between Dhaka and Delhi does not specify a time frame for responses.

In a long Facebook post, Alam said, "No amount of lobbying will help Hasina and her murderous associates..." On the Awami League, he said it still has some hopes to return to the political arena. "But first they have to denounce Hasina for the massacres, murders and 'goom' (enforced disappearance) and looting," Alam said. He said that "students and millions of July uprising protesters have thrown Hasina and her 'clan' into the dustbin of history". "Now, it is ordinary Awami League supporters turn to distance themselves from one of history's most corrupt and blood-thirsty dictators."