Bangladesh urges India to expedite Sheikh Hasina’s extradition

Bangladesh on Monday urged India to expedite the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina as the issue figured prominently during Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi’s first meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. Trivedi paid a courtesy call on Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office, with the two sides discussing bilateral relations and issues that have contributed to strains between the neighbours.

“Bangladesh hopes that India will expedite the process of extraditing Sheikh Hasina,” the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Press Wing said in a statement after the meeting. Dhaka also reiterated its demand for the extradition of those accused in the killing of Osman Hadi, according to the official account of the talks.

Rahman calls for ‘conducive environment’ in India ties

Rahman stressed the need to create a “conducive environment” to improve relations between Bangladesh and India, signalling Dhaka’s willingness to stabilise bilateral ties despite continuing disagreements over Hasina and other politically sensitive issues. The meeting came days after Hasina addressed the media in New Delhi and announced plans to return to Bangladesh in December. Her appearance drew a sharp reaction from Dhaka, which criticised India for allowing the former prime minister to make public political statements from its territory. India has said the event was organised by a private media entity and that the government neither sponsored it nor endorsed the views expressed there.

Hasina has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh in August 2024 following the mass uprising that ended her government. She was subsequently convicted in absentia and sentenced to death over the crackdown on the 2024 protests. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition from India. New Delhi has maintained that Bangladesh’s extradition request is being examined under India’s legal processes.

Monday’s meeting was significant as it marked the first interaction between Rahman and Trivedi after the latter took charge as India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Despite the extradition issue, both sides indicated an interest in keeping diplomatic engagement open. Rahman’s emphasis on creating conditions for improved relations came as the two countries seek to manage tensions that have persisted since the political upheaval in Bangladesh in 2024.