Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of Indian Ministry of External Affairs, said they had received a diplomatic letter of Bangladesh sent to India requesting to send back former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"We confirm that we have received a Note Verbale from the Bangladesh High Commission today in connection with an extradition request," said Randhir.
"At this time, we have no comment to offer on this matter," he added.
Bangladesh has formally requested India to facilitate the expedition of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina for judicial purposes, said Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Monday.
"We have conveyed to India clearly that we seek her return for judicial processes," the adviser said in response to journalists' questions during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday (23 December).
He elaborated that the request was made through a diplomatic note verbale to the Indian government.
Earlier the same day, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been instructed to take necessary steps to bring Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh.
He noted, "A letter has been sent to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding her repatriation. The process is underway."
When asked about the legal framework for this move, Jahangir referred to the prisoner extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India, stating that the treaty would be the basis for seeking Hasina’s return.
During a previous weekly briefing on 5 December, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Rafiqul Alam clarified that efforts to expedite Sheikh Hasina involved multiple ministries and that the foreign ministry alone was not responsible.
"Our role will come into play at the appropriate time," he remarked.
Sheikh Hasina, president of the Awami League, fled to India following her resignation as prime minister on 5 August amid mass public uprisings.
While several senior party leaders have been arrested, the majority remain in hiding.
The Awami League government, in 2010, had established the International Crimes Tribunal to prosecute crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of 1971.
However, the interim government now plans to use the tribunal to investigate alleged acts of "genocide" committed by the Awami League during its crackdown on student-led and public protests.
Between 5 July and 5 August, as protests surged across the nation, numerous allegations of "genocide and crimes against humanity" were submitted to the tribunal's investigative and prosecution offices.
These allegations are currently under review.
