New Delhi [India], November 18 : Former diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar has criticised the death sentence given to the ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said "no evidence" has been presented in the court.
He said Hasina had no personal role to play in the violence and deaths that took place in Bangladesh during the student-led protests, which led to her ousting.
Hasina, 78, was tried in absentia, having been exiled in India since she was ousted from power in July 2024, and given the death sentence for "committing crimes against humanity."
"In terms of how it has been justified because you know what Sheikh Hasina has also said that it is very regrettable. It is very tragic that all these deaths have taken place, but that she had no personal role, no individual role to play in that in any of that. And she said that there is no evidence that has been presented to the court by, the lawyers by those who have accused her that she had any individual personal role to play in this," he said.
While talking to ANI, Sajjanhar said that death penalty should not be given to a person when there is no surety about the evidence.
"So I think that is what will really need to be seen and whatever little I've been able to see of the judgment. It also seems, the person who's pronouncing this verdict, he says the evidence 'seems' to be genuine. If there is an evidence you are producing in the court and if it just 'seems' to be- there is not 110% proof that an individual was involved, you don't give a penalty to that person," he said.
He further said that the verdict appears to be on shaky grounds, but it was not unexpected.
"So it does appear to be to me to be on rather shaky grounds on the basis of which this verdict has been given and they say that, these are not artificial intelligence images, etc. But, there is so much more than artificial intelligence that can be done to tamper with any evidence. We know that. Technology has moved so fast. So we'll really have to examine what this verdict is all about. But, I don't think any of this was unexpected," he said.
He recounted how Sheikh Hasina's father and whole family were assassinated in 1975, and she was granted asylum in India.
"As far as Sheikh Hasina's asylum and refuge in India is concerned, it's not the first time. We know that when her father was killed and the whole family was assassinated in 1975, she was out of the country and she came to India and she sought refuge here. She was here in an asylum for six years, and then we also gave her refuge. India's policy has been to give refuge to all those people who are oppressed, who are tormented," he said.
"And we have seen the manner in which the Muhammed Yunus' government has been operating since August when he came to power. He's an undeclared, unelected, prime minister," the former diplomat said added.
He added that India would wait for free and fair elections to be held in Bangladesh. Because an elected government would recognise the importance of good relations with India.
"So we would like to wait for free, fair, inclusive elections to be held. And then whatever the government comes and whatever the decision it takes, because I'm sure that a representative government in Bangladesh would recognise that having good, friendly relations with India is to their own interest. It is in the interest of both countries. And that is what India has been working on," he added.
He further said that India was not working specifically with Sheikh Hasina, it is just that she was in power and was the head of elected government.
"It is not that India was working specifically with Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina was in power. She represented the government. And that is why we were working with her. And whichever is a regularly elected government, India would work with that particular government. So let a representative government be elected in Bangladesh," he said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday appealed to India to immediately extradite Hasina and the country's former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
Bangladesh claimed India was obliged to do so under an extradition treaty.
"In the verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal, absconding accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal have been convicted and sentenced for the Jallahi (executioner) murder. If any country gives shelter to these individuals convicted of crimes against humanity, it will be an extremely intolerant act and a disregard for justice. We appeal to the Government of India to immediately hand over these two convicted individuals to the Bangladesh authorities. According to the extradition treaty existing between the two countries, this is also an obligatory duty for India."
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