India Says Extradition of Sheikh Hasina Will Be Handled Through Legal Process

India on Tuesday said its position on the possible extradition of former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina remains unchanged, stressing that any request for extradition or transfer would be dealt with entirely through legal process and within the existing judicial framework.

The clarification came at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ regular weekly briefing in New Delhi, where spokesperson Ranadhir Jaiswal responded to questions following Hasina’s recent remarks about returning to Bangladesh.

Ranadhir Jaiswal said Hasina’s recent statement or interview had not led to any change in India’s policy position. “Any matter related to extradition is a legal process, and it will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” he said.

Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and took shelter in India on 5 August 2024 in the face of a mass uprising by students and the public. She has been staying in Delhi since then.

After the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death in a case over the mass killings committed during the July uprising in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government formally wrote to India seeking her return.

In a recent telephone interview with Reuters, Sheikh Hasina said she wants to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender before the court.

The interview triggered discussion in the diplomatic circles of Bangladesh and India. At Tuesday’s briefing in New Delhi, a journalist asked whether India had held any discussions with the Bangladesh government following Hasina’s announcement that she would return.

Ranadhir Jaiswal did not comment on whether any talks had taken place between India and the Bangladesh government over Hasina’s possible return.