Dhaka presses India on Hasina as PM visit talks continue
India said Bangladesh’s extradition request for Sheikh Hasina is being examined through internal legal processes
Bangladesh on Sunday called on India to act expeditiously on its request for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and said a “propitious environment” was necessary for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to undertake a bilateral visit to India.
“We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit,” AKM. Shahidul Karim, spokesperson for Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a written statement.
Karim said officials from Bangladesh and India had been in contact for several weeks regarding the possibility of a bilateral visit by PM Rahman to India.
However, he said the process had been complicated by an open press interaction held in New Delhi on August 5 by Sheikh Hasina, who has been convicted by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity.
Against this backdrop, Bangladesh has urged Indian authorities to act expeditiously on its request for the extradition of Hasina and other fugitive convicts. Dhaka also called for the handover of those accused in the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, in accordance with the bilateral extradition treaty.
“We have made our position clear on this matter,” Karim said. He did not take questions from reporters after reading the statement.
“We are awaiting their response,” he added.
Bangladesh also reiterated its commitment to a Bangladesh First policy, saying it sought to promote friendly relations with all countries, including its neighbours, on the principles of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in internal affairs and mutual benefit.
India has previously said that Bangladesh’s extradition request concerning Hasina is being examined through ongoing judicial and internal legal processes.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that India had also invited Bangladesh’s PM to visit India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit.
“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,” Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi. “So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard.”
Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, said on Thursday that Rahman’s proposed visits to India and Japan had not yet been finalised.
She said the timing of any visit would depend on the PM’s schedule and the progress of discussions between the two countries.
“The Government is busy, the Prime Minister is busy,” she told reporters, referring to the Government’s ongoing domestic programmes and upcoming constitutional activities.
Asked whether Rahman would attend the BRICS Summit outreach session or undertake a separate bilateral visit to India, the state minister said there was still sufficient time to take a decision.
“A lot can happen in a month,” she said.
Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Saturday underscored the importance of closer cooperation and the need to nurture the longstanding ties between the two countries.
Speaking at a reception marking India’s 80th Independence Day at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Trivedi said Bangladesh and India were strengthening their partnership across several areas, including trade, connectivity, security and healthcare.
“We recognise that it is the people-to-people connection, rooted in shared aspiration and mutual goodwill, that remains the true beating heart of this enduring friendship,” he said.
Trivedi called for continued cooperation to advance shared prosperity and urged both countries to nurture their “exceptional bonds of friendship.”
“With the history of the freedom struggle, our bond is deeply entwined,” he said. “On this solid bedrock of shared history, mutual respect, and partnership, our relationship continues to flourish.”
Bangladesh’s latest statement comes as Dhaka and New Delhi continue consultations on high-level engagements. The proposed visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India remains subject to further discussions and a mutually conducive diplomatic environment.
