Bangladesh Crisis: SCBA President Urges India to Detain and Return Sheikh Hasina

As Bangladesh’s situation worsens after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), has called on India to detain the former Prime Minister and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, and return them to Bangladesh, according to reports.

During a press conference at the SCBA auditorium, Khokon said, “We want to maintain a positive relationship with the people of India. Please arrest Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, who fled the country, and send them back to Bangladesh.”
Khokon, who is also a joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), accused Sheikh Hasina of causing numerous deaths in Bangladesh, stating, “Sheikh Hasina has killed many people in Bangladesh.” Several pro-BNP lawyers were present at the event.

Khokon urged against declaring a state of emergency and demanded the resignation of Supreme Court judges involved in political activities and corruption within a week. He also called for the resignation of state law officers, including Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, as well as the heads and officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), as they were appointed by the Hasina-led government. Additionally, Khokon demanded the release of political prisoners.

Bangladesh is currently experiencing a volatile political situation. On August 5, Sheikh Hasina tendered her resignation amidst mounting protests, primarily led by students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs, which had evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations.

Earlier that day, President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced the dissolution of the country’s parliament to facilitate the formation of an interim administration. In a significant development, BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was also released. Hasina arrived in India on Monday evening, though it remains unclear whether she will stay in Delhi or move to another location.

In Dhaka, leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have proposed an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus in an effort to address the ongoing challenges in Bangladesh.

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