High Stakes Extradition: India Reviews Urgent Request to Return Sheikh Hasina

Updated: November 26, 2025 20:02

Image Source : Anadolu Ajansl

India’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it is reviewing Bangladesh’s latest formal request to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, sentenced to death in absentia for her role in violent crackdowns last year. Diplomatic and legal complexities, plus a 2013 extradition treaty, frame the high-profile political case.

The Indian Foreign Ministry is actively examining a renewed request from Bangladesh seeking the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina, 78, has been residing in India since August 2024, after being ousted amid mass protests and subsequent allegations of crimes against humanity for her government’s crackdown on student-led demonstrations. The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced her to death in absentia, escalating diplomatic urgency in recent months.

This latest request marks Bangladesh’s third such effort—following communications in December 2024 and earlier this month—urging India to honor a bilateral extradition treaty signed in 2013. Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, publicly reminded India of its “obligatory responsibility” under international agreements. India has officially acknowledged the verdict but has refrained from direct comment on Hasina’s fate or potential extradition.

The extradition process is complicated by legal and political challenges. Article 8 of the treaty allows either side to reject requests deemed unjust, politically motivated, or where risk of persecution exists. Recent bilateral security talks have softened tensions, with both sides expressing commitment to regional stability ahead of Bangladesh’s scheduled February elections.

Key Highlights

Bangladesh formally requests India extradite ex-PM Sheikh Hasina after death sentence by International Crimes Tribunal
India acknowledges ongoing diplomatic and legal review; no final comment on extradition yet
Third such request since Hasina fled to India in August 2024
Bilateral extradition treaty signed in 2013 guides process, with exceptions for political or humanitarian concerns
Recent regional security talks between national advisers signal thawing tensions

Source: Reuters, Al Jazeera, Hindustan Times, Dawn, The Business Standard Bangladesh.

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