The National Central Bureau (NCB) of the Bangladesh Police has formally requested Interpol's help in issuing Red Notices against 12 people, including ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who have been declared "absconding" and are living abroad. The three-phase request for the issuance was made to Interpol, as confirmed by the officials on Sunday. A Red Corner Notice is popularly referred to as a Red Notice; it is a global alert declared by Interpol to find a person, to identify them, and to arrest them provisionally pending extradition, surrender, or equivalent legal measures.

Tribunal's Push Led To Global Alert Request

The step was taken months after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor's Office had officially requested the Bangladesh Police in November last year to proceed with obtaining the assistance of Interpol. Hasina and the others have been accused by the tribunal of evading arrest and intentionally avoiding proceedings in court for serious charges.

The NCB, an international police coordination wing of the Bangladesh Police, applied for the Red Notice on the basis of formal requests by the ICT's prosecution wing and concerned investigating agencies. The General Secretariat of Interpol in Lyon, France, will now consider the request and decide if it complies with the requirements for issuance.

Although Interpol has not yet officially replied to the Red Notice request, the move marks a significant heightening of Bangladesh's legal pursuit of one of its most powerful political clans. If approved, Hasina and the others may be arrested in any of Interpol's 195 member states, depending on local laws and extradition agreements.

Prior Warrants Against Hasina And Family Members

The Red Notice request comes amid prior arrest warrants already against Hasina and her immediate family members in the past few months. The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court issued new arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wajed Joy, and 16 others in two major corruption cases against the illegal allocation of residential plots in Purbachal New Town on the outskirts of Dhaka on Tuesday.

The warrants were issued after court officials reviewed charge sheets filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which implicated several former government officials in facilitating illegal land allocations. Judge Zakir Hossain instructed several police stations around the country to report progress on the arrests by April 29.

In a related move, the same court had previously issued warrants against Hasina's daughter Saima Wajed Putul, her sister Sheikh Rehana, British MP Tulip Siddiq, Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and 48 others on charges of illegally obtaining 60 kathas (1.86 acres) of state land in the planned diplomatic enclave of Sector 27, Purbachal.

The ACC investigation found that six 10-katha plots were allocated secretly through political influence without observing legal processes. Earlier, the High Court had tasked a committee led by a retired judge to investigate the issue. This wide-ranging legal action also involves previous arrests of Hasina's son and two close relatives in Dhaka in January on charges of preventing justice and interfering with evidence in different cases.

Global Attention And Political Ripples

The application of a Red Notice against a previous head of state has elicited broad interest at home and abroad. While sources within the government assert that the move is squarely legal and aligned with judicial directives, opponents state that it is likely to carry political undertones in a strongly polarised country.

Once Interpol endorses the Red Notices, member states will be notified to apprehend the fugitives upon their entry or transit within their borders. Nonetheless, the ultimate decision to extradite is up to the individual countries where the subjects are located.

Also read: Bangladesh Court Issues Fresh Arrest Warrant Against Sheikh Hasina, Son Over Purbachal Land Scam