The Bangladeshi government has indicated that a proposed visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India is unlikely to proceed unless New Delhi acts on Dhaka’s request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other individuals sought by Bangladesh. Officials from both nations have been in discussions for several weeks regarding a potential bilateral visit by Rahman to New Delhi.
However, these discussions have been complicated by a public event involving Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5. According to AKM Shahidul Karim, the Bangladeshi foreign ministry spokesperson, a conducive environment must be established for the visit to take place. Karim stated, “To this end, we have requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on our request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals, and to hand over to Bangladesh the accused killers of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi in compliance with our bilateral extradition treaty. We are awaiting their response.”
It is important to note that two individuals accused of assassinating political activist Osman Hadi were apprehended by the Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal police in March, in the border town of Bongaon, located in the North 24 Parganas district.
The Bangladeshi government reiterated its commitment to a “Bangladesh First” policy, aiming to foster amicable bilateral relations with other countries, including its neighbors. This policy is founded on principles of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual benefit. Dhaka expressed that the potential visit of Prime Minister Rahman was “vitiated” by Hasina’s open press interaction in New Delhi, particularly given her conviction by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity.
The Indian government, for its part, clarified that the press conference involving Hasina and Bangladeshi officials had no connection to the government of India. Previously, India had stated that its extradition request from Bangladesh concerning Hasina was still “under examination.”
Sheikh Hasina was removed from power in August 2024 following a student-led uprising that evolved into a widespread anti-government movement. After her government collapsed, she sought refuge in India, where she has remained since.
