India’s Ministry of External Affairs has stated that there is no change in its stance regarding former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s reported plans to return to Dhaka. The ministry’s spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, emphasized that any request for her extradition would be dealt with as a legal matter. Jaiswal’s comments came in response to questions about Hasina’s potential return to Bangladesh after nearly two years in exile.
Hasina, the 78-year-old Awami League leader, has reportedly been preparing to return to Bangladesh in an attempt to revive her party. This development comes after she was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal in Bangladesh last November for alleged crimes against humanity linked to her government’s crackdown on protesters during the 2024 unrest. Hasina has rejected the charges and the conviction, describing them as politically motivated.
Bangladesh’s interim government has welcomed reports of Hasina’s planned return, stating that she should face justice for her conviction. The country’s Prime Minister’s adviser for information and strategy, Zahed Ur Rahman, expressed that the people of Bangladesh want to ensure justice and see her death penalty upheld. Rahman added that Hasina is free to bring the best lawyers in the world to defend herself.
Hasina has been living in exile in India since August 2024, following the collapse of her government amid a massive student-led uprising. Relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated since the fall of Hasina’s government and the emergence of the new political government in Bangladesh.
India has repeatedly been asked to extradite Hasina, but the country’s stance remains unchanged. The Ministry of External Affairs has maintained that any extradition matter is a legal issue and will be dealt with accordingly. According to reports, Hasina is likely to return to Bangladesh by the end of this year.
