Shielding criminals: India shelters Sheikh Hasina despite corruption scandals and HR violations
Islamabad: India is facing mounting criticism for providing sanctuary to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, despite her involvement in major corruption and human rights violations.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a recent UK report has revealed that Hasina’s family is involved in a billion-dollar corruption scandal. Her niece, UK Treasury Minister Tulip Siddiq, benefitted from lavish properties funded by associates of Hasina’s regime. Investigations show that $16 billion was illegally siphoned from Bangladesh each year during Hasina’s 15-year rule, including more than $5 billion embezzled from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project. Tulip Siddiq stepped down from her ministerial position amid intensifying investigations.
This scandal not only unveils the depth of corruption that plagued Hasina’s authoritarian rule but also raises pressing questions about India’s role in shielding those responsible, thereby betraying the trust of the Bangladeshi people.
In the aftermath of Hasina’s ousting following a popular uprising in 2024, India provided sanctuary to an individual accused of monumental corruption and human rights violations. Despite Bangladesh’s interim government formally requesting Hasina’s extradition after her overthrow, India has declined to repatriate the former prime minister.
Critics argue that India’s act of harboring a fugitive not only undermines international legal norms but also signifies a blatant disregard for the aspirations and justice sought by the Bangladeshi people.
“India’s protection of Hasina and her cohorts is a direct affront to the victims of her regime’s oppressive policies and casts a shadow over India’s commitment to regional stability and justice”, they contend, adding, “By offering refuge to individuals implicated in severe corruption, India perpetuates the suffering of the Bangladeshi populace”.
Calls are growing for the international community to hold enablers like India accountable, ensuring that justice prevails and that the sovereignty and dignity of nations are upheld.
