DHAKA: Bangladesh’s interim government announced on Sunday that it has formally asked India to extradite former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who earlier this week was handed a death sentence for her role in a violent crackdown on a student-led uprising.
Hasina, now 78, has been living in hiding in India since her administration was toppled in August 2024. During her years in power, she enjoyed strong political support from New Delhi.
Touhid Hossain, Bangladesh’s acting foreign minister, told reporters that Dhaka had dispatched a letter seeking her extradition. He did not provide further details about the communication, though local newspaper Prothom Alo reported that this marks the third such request since Hasina fled the country.
The latest move follows Monday’s landmark court verdict, which convicted Hasina of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death. After the ruling, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said in a statement that India had an “obligatory responsibility” under a bilateral treaty to cooperate in returning the ousted premier.
India’s foreign ministry said only that it had “noted” the verdict and avoided directly addressing the extradition demand. Officials in New Delhi have not yet responded to the newest letter from Dhaka.
Bangladesh remains deeply unsettled politically more than a year after Hasina’s removal from power. The run-up to national elections expected in February 2026 has been overshadowed by violence and uncertainty, further straining the already fragile political atmosphere.
According to UN figures, as many as 1,400 people were killed during the security clampdowns ordered by Hasina as she tried to maintain her rule. These deaths played a central role in the charges that ultimately led to her conviction.
Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have deteriorated since Hasina’s ouster, largely due to India’s previous support for her government. However, diplomatic tensions appeared to ease slightly this week when Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman met India’s NSA Ajit Doval on the sidelines of a regional security summit. Media reports in Bangladesh said Rahman invited Doval to visit Dhaka, signalling a cautious attempt to stabilise ties.
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