Bangladesh’s interim government announced on Sunday that it has formally requested India to extradite ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced earlier this week to death for her role in a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising.
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Hasina, 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 backing from New Delhi.
Touhid Hossain, the foreign affairs minister in Bangladesh’s interim administration, confirmed that Dhaka had sent a letter on Friday seeking Hasina’s extradition. He declined to reveal further details. According to Bengali daily Prothom Alo, this is the third official request made to India since Hasina fled the country.
The demand follows Monday’s court ruling, which convicted Hasina of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to be hanged. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry argued that India has an “obligatory responsibility” under a bilateral treaty to facilitate her return.
India’s foreign ministry responded that it had “noted” the verdict but did not directly comment on the extradition request. New Delhi has so far not replied to Bangladesh’s latest diplomatic communication.
Bangladesh has remained in political turmoil since Hasina’s ouster, with violence affecting campaigns ahead of elections expected in February 2026. The United Nations has estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed in crackdowns ordered by Hasina as she attempted to retain power—deaths that formed the core of the charges against her.
India’s previous support for Hasina has strained relations between the neighbouring countries since her fall. However, tensions appear to have slightly eased following a recent visit to India by Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, who attended a regional security summit and met with Indian NSA Ajit Doval. Media reports in Bangladesh say Rahman has also extended an invitation to Doval to visit Dhaka.
