New Delhi

Most Wanted

The request to extradite ousted former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has placed India in a diplomatic quandary.

By Taha Kehar | February 2025

Most WantedIn 2013, India and Bangladesh ratified an extradition treaty to tackle concerns about fugitives from both countries operating across borders. Under this agreement, Indian and Bangladeshi insurgents seeking refuge in the neighboring country would be deported following a legal request for their extradition.

When the treaty was signed, Sheikh Hasina was the premier of Bangladesh. Ironically, this covenant is now being used to her detriment. Once the invincible statesperson of a booming South Asian economy, she has now been relegated to the position of a beleaguered leader, exiled in the neighboring country.

Over the span of a decade, Hasina’s firm grip on power has weakened significantly as she has fallen from grace in a country founded by her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The erstwhile prime minister fled to India after she was ousted from public office in August 2024 following a wave of student-led protests. In December 2024, Dhaka formally requested the Indian government to extradite Hasina so that she could face a “judicial process.” The demand for her extradition came months after the International Crime Tribunal (ICT) issued an arrest warrant against her. As per this warrant, Hasina has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. Since the Awami League administration was removed from office in August 2024, numerous complaints of criminal activity have been registered against the former prime minister, as well as her party members and affiliates. These include charges of her involvement in enforced disappearances.

New Delhi acknowledged the request for Hasina’s extradition but refused to comment on the matter. India’s weighted silence has been construed as a sign of its reluctance to take a proactive stance on the issue. Be that as it may, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government isn’t keen on allowing this matter to be swept under the carpet. Following the formal request for Hasina’s repatriation, a concerted effort has been made to emphasize the gravity of the situation.

In early January, a Bangladeshi court issued a second arrest warrant against the deposed premier for her alleged role in enforced disappearances. A few weeks later, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul categorically asserted that India’s failure to extradite Hasina would reflect a violation of the 2013 treaty. According to the law adviser, a red alert has been issued, and the international community will be engaged if India doesn’t take the requisite measures to ensure Hasina’s extradition.

At this critical juncture, the extradition request has placed India in a diplomatic quandary and will likely affect the strained relations between both countries. Two weeks before the interim government put forward its demand for Hasina’s extradition, India’s foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, visited Dhaka for the first high-level diplomatic meeting with the interim government. During this meeting, both countries pledged their commitment towards fostering constructive relations.

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