Bangladesh seeks extradition of Hasina from India

Bangladesh on Sunday said it expected India to expedite the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, saying that besides the legal process, "political intent" was also necessary for her return. The remarks came a day after Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi said India could not give a timeframe for Hasina's return as Dhaka's extradition request was being examined through a legal process involving the courts. "There is certainly a legal process involved, but political intent is also necessary," State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam told a media briefing at her office. She expressed hope that India would take steps to expedite the extradition process.
Hasina, 79, has been living in India since fleeing Dhaka on August 5, 2024, after a student-led agitation, dubbed the July Uprising, toppled her Awami League government. A special tribunal later tried Hasina in absentia and sentenced her to death over the crackdown on the protests. Hasina and her supporters have described it as a "kangaroo court". The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government sought her extradition through a diplomatic note, while India has maintained that the request is being examined in line with established processes.
After coming to power following the February 12 elections, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party government renewed the demand for Hasina's extradition. In August, Rahman urged Trivedi to expedite the extradition process, underscoring the need to create a "conducive environment" for advancing bilateral relations. Hasina, meanwhile, has said she intends to return to Bangladesh voluntarily by December to face the legal process.