DHAKA: Bangladesh has made it clear that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is unlikely to visit India until New Delhi makes progress on Dhaka’s request for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The issue has become a major point of tension between the two neighbours since Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after a student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule.
Foreign Ministry official A.K.M. Shahidul Karim, while responding to reports about a possible visit by Rahman to New Delhi, said the right conditions needed to be in place first.
He said Bangladesh had asked India to speed up the extradition of Hasina and other fugitives under the two countries’ 2013 extradition treaty, which was amended in 2016.
India has said the request is being examined, taking into account the relevant legal provisions and other factors.
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Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have faced further strain over Hasina’s continued presence in India. Bangladeshi officials have also objected to her recent public appearances and media interactions there.
Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal in a case involving crimes against humanity. She has rejected the charges and called the tribunal proceedings politically motivated. She has also said she wants to return to Bangladesh.
Rahman, who took office in February, has so far visited Malaysia and China. His decision not to make India his first foreign destination marks a departure from the practice followed by several previous Bangladeshi governments.
The Rahman administration has said its foreign policy will follow a “Bangladesh First” approach, with emphasis on sovereignty, non-interference and relations based on mutual respect.
For now, the Hasina extradition issue remains a major obstacle to a possible India visit by Rahman, with Dhaka waiting for a response from New Delhi.
