Stories
India Cannot Set Deadline for Hasina's Extradition, Cites Legal Process
- •Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi stated India cannot provide a timeframe for Sheikh Hasina's extradition to Bangladesh, as the request is undergoing a legal examination.
- •Hasina has been living in India since August 2024 after fleeing Dhaka following the collapse of her government amidst massive anti-government protests.
- •Trivedi clarified that Hasina was transported to India by a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft, escorted by the Bangladesh Army, while she was still the prime minister.
- •The extradition issue has strained India-Bangladesh relations, impacting Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's proposed visit to New Delhi.
- •India maintains that it had no role in Hasina's virtual press conference in New Delhi, which further exacerbated tensions with the Bangladesh government.
Key Questions Answered
Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi stated that India cannot provide a timeframe because Sheikh Hasina's extradition request is currently being examined through a well-structured and established legal process. Ministry of External Affairs officials have consistently maintained that the request is handled in line with domestic judicial and legal procedures.
Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on August 5, 2024, aboard a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft after a Bangladesh Army-led security detachment escorted her from her official residence. Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi noted that as she was still the prime minister at that time, accepting her arrival was a necessary duty as a neighbor facing an unexpected and tragic situation.
Bilateral relations strained significantly following the collapse of Hasina's government and the tenure of the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, during which Hasina was tried in absentia and sentenced to death. The tension was further aggravated when Bangladesh's current government renewed extradition demands and criticized a virtual press conference held by Hasina in New Delhi.
