Daily Briefing: Bangladesh wants Sheikh Hasina back. Will India play ball?

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Bangladesh wants retribution. It has arrest warrants out for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, accusing her and her officials of “crimes against humanity and genocide”. And where is Hasina? Somewhere in India. Dhaka has sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi asking for Hasina’s return.

Unease: Hasina arrived in India on August 5 after massive protests in her home country toppled her 16-year rule. Since then, ties between the two countries have remained strained. Bangladesh’s interim government has repeatedly condemned Hasina’s public statements from her refuge in India.

Protocol: So, will India send Hasina back? An extradition treaty already exists between New Delhi and Dhaka but it comes with certain terms and conditions. Extradition may be refused if the offence is of a “political nature”. However, the list of offences which cannot be deemed “political” is rather long, and Hasina has been charged with some of them. While there’s more to the fine print of the treaty that provides ground for refusal, the decision is sure to be a political one.

Only in Express

The arrest of known occultist Navalsinh Kanu Chavda and its aftermath has all the makings of a serial killer documentary. His aide Jigar Bhanu Gohil, who had tipped the police off about Chavda’s murderous plan, is now a suspect himself. Interestingly, Gohil was working “undercover” as a driver for Chavda to learn more about his brother’s death. Gohil believes Chavda murdered his brother. The occultist confessed to killing 12 persons using sodium nitrate shortly before he died “mysteriously” while still in custody. Read on.

From the Front Page

On the radar: As many as six confirmed attacks on police stations and checkpoints have been reported in Punjab in the last 27 days. The probe into the matter has put a Pilibhit module of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) under the police’s scanner. The police have even identified a suspect: A Sikh soldier of the British Army who has served in Afghanistan.

Scrapped: Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009, schools were prohibited from detaining students up to Class 8 to prevent kids from dropping out. In 2019, the Act was amended to allow “appropriate governments” to decide on holding back children in Classes 5 and 8. Since then, several states and Union Territories scrapped the no-detention policy. Five years later, the Centre has now completely done away with it.

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Postscript: The lines between the reel and the real are blurring in Hyderabad where Telugu star Allu Arjun finds himself in a standoff with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The plot is just a little different from Pushpa 2: The Rule, which also sees Arjun’s character at odds with the sitting CM. Arjun was arrested in connection with the death of a 35-year-old woman in a stampede at a show of Pushpa 2. This has not gone down well with his fanbase, putting the CM on the defensive. But there’s also a counter wave of support for the CM for ensuring the law treats everyone equally.

Buckle up: Japan’s automakers Honda and Nissan are on the brink of a potential merger. One that promises to make them the third largest carmakers in the world, behind just Toyota and Volkswagen. From fending off the China threat to sharing costs, both companies stand to gain much from their alliance.

On agenda: “There is certainly something rotten in the state of Maharashtra,” writes Loksatta editor Girish Kuber. From crumbling finances and disgruntled Maharashtrians, Kuber outlines the task cut out for the newly-elected Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis.

And Finally…

Shyam Benegal was a force to be reckoned with. Benegal’s collection of impactful cinema cemented his place in history as a visionary. The filmmaker passed away on Monday. He was 90. Through his art, Benegal mapped the history of India, even its rough edges. He employed his vision to critique society’s power structures and skewer social hypocrisies. Today, we remember him as he would have liked, a disruptor in all its essence.

Before you go, tune in to the ‘3 Things’ podcast, where we bring you some Christmas cheer, and give you tips for a healthier holiday season.

That’s all for today. Until next time,
Sonal Gupta

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