India on Tuesday said Bangladesh’s request seeking the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was being examined under established procedures, a day after Dhaka again raised the matter with New Delhi. The issue figured during a meeting between Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, with Dhaka reiterating its demand for Hasina’s extradition. Hasina, 78, has been staying in India since leaving Bangladesh in August 2024 after her government fell amid widespread anti-government protests.
Responding to questions at a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi’s position on the extradition request remained clear. “We have made it very clear that this issue is being examined in line with established processes on the Indian side. We will give you an update when there is one,” Jaiswal said.
Bangladesh’s previous government, led by Muhammad Yunus, had also sought Hasina’s extradition from India. Dhaka argued that she should be returned to face the consequences of her conviction over the crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. Hasina and former Bangladesh home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal were sentenced to death last year by the International Crimes Tribunal, a domestic court, after being convicted of crimes against humanity in connection with the crackdown on the protests that preceded the fall of her government.
Jaiswal also said India had extended two separate invitations to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman — one for a bilateral visit and another to attend the outreach session of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September. India is scheduled to host the BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13, with leaders expected to discuss a range of international issues, including the economic fallout of the continuing crisis in West Asia. Rahman has been invited to the outreach session in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation brings together seven countries — India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand — and seeks to strengthen regional cooperation across several sectors.
The MEA was also asked about Bangladesh’s request for the handover of two Bangladeshi nationals arrested in West Bengal earlier this year over their suspected involvement in the killing of Bangladeshi political leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Jaiswal declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation. “This is a legal matter, in which investigations are ongoing,” he said. The remarks come as New Delhi and Dhaka navigate a changing bilateral relationship following the political transition in Bangladesh, with Hasina’s presence in India and Dhaka’s extradition demand remaining among the key issues between the two neighbours.