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Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivers a speech at a rally during an election campaign in Sylhet on December 20, 2023, ahead of the upcoming general elections. — AFP
– The Bangladeshi government did not specify the details of the letter it sent.
– The former Prime Minister has been sentenced to death following a crackdown that resulted in numerous deaths.
– According to Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, it is India’s duty to assist in her return.
Bangladesh announced on Sunday that it had requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister, who was sentenced earlier this week to hang for her role in a violent crackdown against a student-led uprising.
Hasina, 78, has been hiding in India since her authoritarian rule was ousted in August 2024. During her time in power, she received support from New Delhi.
Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s interim foreign affairs minister, told reporters that on Friday, “we sent a letter requesting the extradition of Sheikh Hasina.” He did not disclose the contents of the message, though reports from Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo indicate this was the third formal extradition request made since Hasina fled the country.
After her court conviction on Monday for crimes against humanity, which included a death sentence, Dhaka’s foreign ministry issued a statement emphasizing that India has a “mandatory obligation” under a bilateral treaty to facilitate her return.
India’s foreign ministry responded by noting they had “taken note” of the verdict but did not comment directly on the extradition request, nor did they immediately reply to the latest communication from Dhaka.
Bangladesh has experienced ongoing political chaos since the end of Hasina’s leadership, with violence affecting election campaigns slated for February 2026.
The United Nations has reported that as many as 1,400 people lost their lives during the crackdown, a event central to her trial.
Ties between India and Bangladesh have strained in recent years, especially following her removal from power. However, recent developments suggest a slight easing of tensions, with Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman visiting India this week for a regional security summit and meeting with his counterpart, Ajit Doval. Reports indicate that Rahman has extended an invitation for Doval to visit Bangladesh.
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