Sajeeb Wazed, son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Tuesday accused the country’s Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of “using the weapon of judiciary” to conduct a “political witch hunt” against Awami League leaders.
Wazed said in a social media post:
“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.”
His statement came a day after Bangladesh’s interim government said it had sent a note verbale, or unsigned diplomatic communiqué, to India formally demanding Hasina’s extradition.
Hasina was removed from power and forced to flee to India on August 5 amid widespread student protests against her Awami League-led government. She served as Bangladesh’s prime minister for 16 years. On August 8, the interim government of Bangladesh was led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus.
The Dhaka Tribune reported on August 15 that Bangladesh’s International Criminal Tribunal is investigating Hasina on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in connection with violent anti-government protests between July 15 and August 5.
Nine other prominent leaders of Hasina’s Awami League party, including general secretary and former road transport minister Obaidul Quader and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, are also under investigation.
