India's Rajya Sabha on Thursday (6 February) deliberated on the issue of Bangladesh's formal request for the extradition of its ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who sought refuge in India following her removal from power during the July-August mass uprising.
Kerala's Communist Party of India (Marxist) Member of Parliament, John Brittas, posed three direct questions to the Modi government regarding its stance on the matter, reports NDTV.
He inquired: (1) Has Bangladesh officially requested the extradition of Sheikh Hasina? (2) If so, what reasons have been cited to justify this request? (3) What response has the Indian government conveyed to Dhaka regarding the matter?
Responding to these queries, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, clarified the government's current position, stating, "No response has yet been provided to Bangladesh concerning this issue."
Singh further elaborated that Bangladesh has indeed submitted an extradition request, citing crimes allegedly committed prior to Sheikh Hasina's arrival in India on 5 August 2024. However, the Indian government has yet to send any formal reply to Dhaka.
Sources indicate that Bangladesh's interim government dispatched a diplomatic note to New Delhi in December, formally requesting Hasina’s return and accusing her of multiple offences.
The Indian government acknowledged receipt of the note but has remained non-committal in its public statements.
Previously, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the receipt of Bangladesh’s letter regarding Hasina’s extradition.
He refrained from commenting further, stating that New Delhi intends to verify the letter's legal validity before making any decisions.
"When an interim government of one country seeks the extradition of a political figure from another nation’s elected government, the legal dimensions require thorough examination," Jaiswal remarked, noting that this process may take considerable time.
The situation has grown increasingly volatile in Bangladesh, especially after the six-month anniversary of Hasina's resignation on 5 February.
That evening, tensions escalated following the broadcast of a controversial speech attributed to her.
In response, anti-discrimination student activists in Dhaka demolished Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house at 32 Dhanmondi and set fire to Hasina's former residence, Sudha Sadan.
Several murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhaka University and other institutions were vandalised, while homes belonging to senior Awami League leaders were also attacked and torched. These events have intensified demands for Hasina’s extradition.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain stated on Thursday afternoon that Hasina continues to make provocative statements from India, disrupting peace in Bangladesh.
He added that Dhaka has formally requested India, in writing, to urge Hasina to cease such remarks.
Additionally, Pavan Badh, India’s Acting High Commissioner in Dhaka, was summoned to discuss the escalating situation.
Diplomatic observers fear that the current tensions could lead to further deterioration in Bangladesh-India relations.
