Bangladesh on Sunday said it expects the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India at the “earliest”, but stressed that the “issue alone” would not stand as a barrier in bilateral ties with New Delhi. The interim Government’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain made the remarks while talking to diplomatic reporters based in Dhaka.
“I think our (bilateral) relations won’t (be) stuck on one issue alone,” he said, when asked if better relations with New Delhi could be expected unless India repatriates the disposed Bangladesh premier. Hossain, however, said that since Hasina was now a declared convict, Bangladesh “expects her repatriation from India at the earliest possible time”.
The former premier was sentenced to death in absentia on November 17 by a special tribunal for “crimes against humanity” over her government’s brutal crackdown on student-led protests last year.The student-led violent street protest termed the July Uprising toppled Hasina’s Awami League regime on August 5, 2024, following which she took refuge in India.
She was earlier declared a fugitive by a Bangladeshi court.In response to another question about Dhaka’s ties with New Delhi under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, Hossain said, “India needs some time to adjust to the new realities”. The adviser, however, said he was hopeful the two countries would witness better ties.
“We would like to have better working relations with India based on interest,” he said. Earlier on Wednesday, Hossain said India gave “no reply” to Bangladesh’s earlier request seeking the extradition of Hasina, but Dhaka now expected a response from New Delhi as the “situation is different now” with the judicial process completed and the former premier convicted. Bangladesh’s foreign office last week had sent an “official letter” to India seeking the extradition of Hasina after the special tribunal sentenced her to death.
