Bangladesh links PM Rahman's India visit to Hasina's extradition
Bangladesh on Sunday said a "propitious environment needs to be created" by India for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit New Delhi, linking the visit to Dhaka's pending extradition requests concerning deposed premier Sheikh Hasina, according to a media report.
The development comes amid uncertainty over Rahman's potential visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit scheduled for September 12-13.
"Officials of Bangladesh and India have been in touch with each other for several weeks on the possibility of a bilateral visit by Hon'ble Prime Minister Mr Tarique Rahman to India," Bangladesh's foreign ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim was quoted as saying by the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news portal on Sunday.
However, Karim said the process had been adversely affected by a press conference Hasina addressed virtually from New Delhi on August 5.
"We have made our position clear on this matter," he said, adding that Dhaka had asked Indian authorities to act expeditiously on its request to extradite Hasina.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained since Hasina's virtual media address, in which she said she was determined to return home in December to restore democracy, despite the risk of imprisonment or a death sentence.
Bangladesh reacted with outrage, saying the event had hurt the sentiments of its people and could hurt bilateral ties, and described Hasina as an "absconding, convicted genocider."
India's Ministry of External Affairs had said on August 7 that it had no role in the event and did not endorse anything said there about the Bangladesh government.
Hasina was ousted in August 2024 following violent student-led protests and fled to India. In November 2025, a special tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced her to death in absentia over alleged "crimes against humanity" during the crackdown on protesters.
Dhaka has since sought her extradition from India, while New Delhi maintains the request is under examination in accordance with applicable law and established procedures. Bangladesh maintains that Hasina must surrender and face the law if she returns.
Karim also said on Sunday: "We reiterate that we will continue to pursue our 'Bangladesh First' policy to promote friendly bilateral relations with other countries, including our neighbours, on the basis of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual benefit."
He reiterated Bangladesh's request to expedite the extradition of "fugitives" linked to the killing of student leader Osman Hadi, a prominent activist during the 2024 movement that ousted Hasina, who was killed in an attack in December 2025 that triggered renewed political tensions in Bangladesh.
Three suspects in the Hadi case were arrested in India in March and remain in judicial custody in West Bengal; India has agreed to extradite them to Bangladesh following due process. The matter was also raised by Rahman during his meeting with Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi last week, during which he separately sought Hasina's extradition.
After the meeting with Trivedi, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said the BRICS invitation was not extended to the prime minister personally but was "addressed to the chairperson of BIMSTEC" an international grouping of seven countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, of which Bangladesh currently holds the chairmanship.
However, India's Ministry of External Affairs said on August 14: "We have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. We've also extended an invitation to the prime minister of Bangladesh for a visit to India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit."
The developments come against the backdrop of an uneasy reset in India-Bangladesh ties after Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party came to power in February, following a period of strained relations under the interim government over issues including Hasina's extradition, the security of Hindu minorities, border-related matters and Dhaka's foreign policy tilt towards China.
(Inputs from PTI)
