‘Hasina should be extradited, brought to justice’: Prof Yunus

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should be extradited and brought to justice if she committed crimes.

"Why shouldn‍‍`t be? If she committed crimes, she should be extradited and brought to justice… She should be facing justice too," he said while responding to a question at "The New York Times Climate Forward Event."

Referring to Hasina, Law Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul recently said Bangladesh will definitely seek extradition of any convicted person under the extradition treaty with India once trials begin.

“We have an extradition treaty with India. As per the extradition treaty, if any convicted person stays in India, we can seek his or her extradition. We will soon let you know through the Law Ministry,” he told reporters while responding to a question at a media briefing in Dhaka.

Sheikh Hasina, who left the country on August 5, is facing a number of cases.

The government has taken some steps and there are some visible progress including formation of investigation and prosecution teams.

Asked whether he will run in the election, the Nobel Peace Laureate Prof Yunus said, "No way, that‍‍`s not me."

He said that he had no plans to run for office. “Do I look like someone who would run?”

Responding to a question on “street justice,” Prof Yunus said people abroad are getting “exaggerated news” and invited journalists to come and report whatever they see with their own eyes.

Regarding the election, Prof Yunus said it should not be too far as reform initiatives have been undertaken.

Commissions formed towards achieving reforms are: Electoral System Reform Commission headed by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Police Administration Reform Commission headed by Sarfaraz Hossain, Judiciary Reform Commission headed by Justice Shah Abu Naeem Mominur Rahman, Anti-Corruption Reform Commission headed by TIB’s Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Public Administration Reform Commission headed by Abdul Mueed Chowdhury and Constitution Reform Commission headed by Distinguished Prof at Illinois State University Dr Ali Riaz.

These commissions will start working from October 1 and they will submit their reports by December 31.

‘You are the cause, we are the result.’

Prof Yunus also said, the Paris Agreement, the global accord for limiting the effects of climate change, won’t work as long as the world sticks with the current economic system.

That system, he said, is centered on maximizing profits, creating wealth for a tiny group of people and generating massive waste.

“The economic system we have built is key to the destruction of this planet,” said Yunus, adding that humans had created a “self-destructive civilization.”

Speaking at the New York Times Climate Forward summit, Yunus, a pioneer of microfinance, said that no matter what changes were made to the agreement, it would not make a difference until the world’s underlying systems were redesigned.

Developing countries like Bangladesh should not have to bear the burden of the climate damage done by their wealthier counterparts, he said.

“Why should we carry the burden of all the destruction that you put on us?” Yunus said. “You are the cause, we are the result.”

He added that individuals should also bear the responsibility of producing less waste and shrinking their fossil fuel footprint.

Prof Yunus spoke about the challenges of leading a country experiencing some of the worst effects of climate change.

Asked what rich countries owe to countries like his, Yunus said the global framework for climate action needed radical change, with a focus on net-zero emissions and the elimination of extreme wealth inequality.

The New York Times on Wednesday brought together innovators, activists, scientists and policymakers for an all-day event of live journalism examining the actions needed to confront climate change.

The event, Climate Forward, included frank discussions of the political and policy challenges surrounding climate change.

It featured some of the world’s leading newsmakers — including Jane Goodall, Muhammad Yunus and R.J. Scaringe — to share ideas, work through problems and answer tough questions about the threats presented by a rapidly warming planet.