DHAKA: The Bangladeshi government has announced that it has once again requested India to hand over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina was sentenced to death earlier this week for her role in the crackdown against student protests, which resulted in mass killings.
The 78-year-old Hasina has been in hiding in India since August 2024, following the end of her authoritarian rule. During her tenure as prime minister, she enjoyed full backing from New Delhi.
Tawhid Hossain, the acting Bangladeshi foreign affairs overseer, told reporters, “We have sent another letter seeking Sheikh Hasina’s extradition.”
According to local newspaper Prothom Alo, this is the third official request made for her return since her escape.
Following the court’s death sentence against Hasina for crimes against humanity, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stated that under bilateral agreements, ensuring the return of the former leader is both a legal and moral obligation for Delhi.
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs noted the court ruling but did not comment directly on the extradition request. So far, New Delhi has not replied to Dhaka’s latest letter.
Since Hasina Wajed’s fall from power, Bangladesh has faced political unrest, with the ongoing campaign for the February 2026 elections also being affected by violence.
According to the United Nations, the crackdown carried out by Hasina to retain power resulted in nearly 1,400 deaths, forming the main basis of the case against her.
Previously, India’s support for Hasina had strained relations between the two neighbors after her government’s fall. However, tensions appeared to ease slightly this week following a visit by Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman to India and his meeting with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.
