Interpol requested to issue Red Notices against 12 fugitives including Hasina

Bangladesh interim government has sent an official request to Interpol to issue Red Notices against 12 absconding Awami League leaders including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League General Secretary and ex Roads, Transports and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police has applied to Interpol at three separate steps for the issuance of Red Notices against escapee Awami League leaders who are facing allegations of conducting carnage while the countrywide demonstration was going on during July 2024. The Anti-Discriminatory Students' Movement led to an enormous and spontaneous mass upsurge which toppled Sheikh Hasina and her government from power on 5 August 2024. Sheikh Hasina escaped to India on the same day.

On top of Sheikh Hasina, those against whom Red Notices from Interpol have been sought are Obaidul Quader, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, AKM Mozammel Haque, Hasan Mahmud, Jahangir Kabir Nanok, Muhibul Hasan Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Major General (Retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique, Nasrul Hamid Bipu, Mohammad Ali Arafat and ex Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed.

Bangladesh requested Interpol to issue Red Notice against former IGP Benazir Ahmed in February 2025. Earlier on, a Dhaka court ordered Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to take necessary measures to communicate with Interpol for issuing a Red Notice against Benazir Ahmed.

Police Headquarters have informed that NCB generally sends requests to Interpol seeking Red Notices against certain perpetrators after receiving similar requests from state prosecutors or investigating authorities.

Benazir Ahmed is facing allegations about financial vices while Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders have been slapped with charges of crimes against humanity. The Office of the Chief Prosecutor of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) dispatched relevant documents and letters to Home Ministry and Police Headquarters asking them to request Interpol for issuing Red Notices against Sheikh Hasina, Benazir Ahmed, Obaidul Quader and other individuals named above.

All the above 12 people are being dogged hard on heels by arrest warrants from different courts in Bangladesh. The interim government is also making diplomatic efforts to bring back absconding lawbreakers from India and another few countries with whom Bangladesh has extradition accords. Fugitive unseated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sheltered by India since August 2024.

Assistant Inspector General of Police (Media and Public Relations) Enamul Haque from Police Headquarters has told journalists "Interpol helps different countries in identifying the location of criminals who are absconding overseas. NCB's request to Interpol to issue Red Notices against 12 specific criminals is currently going through required procedure in Interpol Headquarters."