Bangladesh Seeks Extradition of Former PM Sheikh Hasina from India
Dhaka says legal procedures are underway but stresses that political intent is also required to facilitate the former prime minister’s return.
DHAKA, Oct 4: Bangladesh on Sunday urged India to accelerate the process for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, saying that her return would require both legal proceedings and political intent.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam made the remarks a day after Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi said New Delhi could not provide a timeline for Hasina’s return because the extradition request was being examined through established legal procedures.
“There is certainly a legal process involved, but political intent is also necessary,” Islam told reporters at her office. She said Dhaka hoped India would take steps to move the matter forward more quickly.
Asked whether Hasina could be sent back under the existing extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh, the state minister said the agreement could be used in the case.
“The accused (Hasina) can be brought back under the treaty, and that process is being taken forward,” she said. However, some legal experts have raised questions over whether the treaty’s provisions would apply to the former leader’s case.
Trivedi, speaking at a discussion organised by a private think tank in Dhaka on Saturday, said there was no fixed timeline for Hasina’s return. He reiterated that the Indian government had consistently maintained that the request was being handled through a structured legal process.
Hasina, 79, has remained in India since August 5, 2024, when she left Bangladesh following a student-led movement that brought down her Awami League government. The unrest, known as the July Uprising, marked a major political turning point in the country.
A special tribunal in Bangladesh subsequently tried Hasina in absentia and handed her a death sentence in connection with the crackdown on the protests. Hasina and her supporters have rejected the proceedings, describing the tribunal as a “kangaroo court”.
The interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus had earlier formally sought her extradition through a diplomatic note. India has said the request is under examination according to established procedures.
Following the February 12 elections, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman renewed Dhaka’s demand for Hasina’s extradition.
In August, Rahman called on High Commissioner Trivedi to accelerate the matter, saying progress on the issue was important for creating a conducive atmosphere for improving bilateral relations.
Hasina has separately stated that she plans to return to Bangladesh voluntarily by December and face the legal proceedings against her.
The extradition dispute has become a significant point of friction between New Delhi and Dhaka, with relations deteriorating considerably since Hasina’s removal from power.
India invited Rahman to attend the BRICS Summit held last month, while a separate bilateral invitation had also been extended to him in February. However, Rahman did not attend the summit or travel to New Delhi after assuming office.
