British parliamentarians urge Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to secure written assurances, an independent investigation and a fair trial if the former Bangladesh PM returns home.
London: Six British MPs have urged Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to initiate coordinated diplomatic efforts to ensure that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is not sentenced to death if she returns to Bangladesh.
In a letter submitted to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on 27 October, the parliamentarians called for written guarantees of her safety, legal safeguards and an impartial judicial process.
The letter was signed by Conservative MP Bob Blackman, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jim Shannon and Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Seamus Logan, all members of the House of Commons. Three members of the Scottish Parliament — Martin Day, Paul McLennan and Allan Brown — and former European Parliament member Dr Charles Tannock also endorsed the appeal.
The signatories called on the relevant authorities to provide an explicit written assurance that Hasina would not face execution, backed by appropriate legal measures to ensure that the commitment was upheld.
Expressing concern over the use of judicial proceedings in political disputes, the MPs stated that the criminal justice system must not become a tool for pursuing political objectives.
They stressed that the serious allegations against Hasina required an independent investigation and a fair trial, adding that legal proceedings should not be used for political retaliation or to marginalise opponents.
The MPs outlined four key areas for diplomatic intervention: protection against the death penalty and other serious harm; an independent investigation into the allegations and effective legal safeguards; international monitoring; and support for mediation and political reconciliation in Bangladesh.
The diplomatic appeal comes amid reports that a London-based law firm has approached the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi seeking a new passport and national identity card for Hasina.
The 79-year-old former prime minister has reportedly expressed her intention to return to Bangladesh in December and face legal proceedings. She fled to India in August 2024 after her Awami League government collapsed amid widespread student-led protests. She has been living in India since then.
Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia in Bangladesh in a case involving crimes against humanity over the alleged crackdown on protesters. She has denied wrongdoing and challenged the legitimacy of the proceedings against her.
