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Bangladesh sent a formal extradition request to India last week through its High Commission in New Delhi, following the tribunal's verdict. The request was processed under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries, Hossain said.
Sheikh Hasina took refuge in India after her Awami League government was toppled. (File Photo: AP)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 1, 2025 00:00 IST
Weeks after Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced, Dhaka has stepped up its push for India’s cooperation. On Sunday, Bangladesh said it expects India to extradite Hasina "at the earliest", but maintained that the matter would not derail its relationship with New Delhi.
The interim government’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Mohammad Touhid Hossain, made the comments during an interaction with diplomatic correspondents in Dhaka.
Hossain said bilateral ties were defined by long-term strategic interests and would not hinge on a single issue. "I think our (bilateral) relations won’t (be) stuck on one issue alone," he told reporters, when asked whether improved ties with India were possible without Hasina’s repatriation.
He added that Dhaka still expected New Delhi to act swiftly. Since Hasina was now a declared convict, Bangladesh "expects her repatriation from India at the earliest possible time," he said.
Hasina, who was ousted from power on 5 August 2024 after the student-led July Uprising, took refuge in India after her Awami League government was toppled. On 17 November, a special tribunal sentenced the 78-year-old former leader to death in absentia for "crimes against humanity" linked to her government’s crackdown on last year’s student protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by a Bangladesh court.
EXTRADITION SOUGHT AFTER HASINA’S CONVICTION
Bangladesh sent a formal extradition request to India last week through its High Commission in New Delhi, following the tribunal’s verdict. The request was processed under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries, Hossain said.
He added that Dhaka had previously issued a note verbale in December last year seeking Hasina’s return. India acknowledged receipt at the time but did not provide a formal response. "India needs some time to adjust to the new realities," Hossain said on Sunday, referring to the change in government in Dhaka under interim leader Muhammad Yunus.
Earlier last Wednesday, Hossain said India had given "no reply" to the earlier request but noted that "the situation is different now" because the judicial process had been completed and Hasina was formally convicted.
The interim government has signalled it is preparing to escalate the matter if necessary. On 20 November, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said Dhaka was considering approaching the Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to bring back "fugitive convicts". Reiterating the stance three days later, he added, "We believe India has an added responsibility to return them."
Despite the diplomatic friction, Bangladesh’s leadership stated that it wants a stable working relationship with New Delhi. "We would like to have better working relations with India based on interest," Hossain told reporters.
India, earlier in its brief remarks, said it had "noted" the tribunal’s verdict. "As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country. We will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end," the Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi.
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Dec 1, 2025
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