India is reviewing Bangladesh’s request to extradite ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been residing in New Delhi since her removal from power.
At a weekly media briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the development. “We have received the request, and it is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes,” he said.
Reaffirming India’s broader policy posture on Bangladesh, Jaiswal added, “We remain committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh — including peace, democracy, inclusion, and stability — and will continue to engage constructively with all stakeholders.”
Bangladesh sent the note verbale last Friday through diplomatic channels, requesting Hasina’s return after a Bangladeshi court sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity.
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain also confirmed the dispatch of the extradition request. Speaking to reporters at the foreign ministry on Wednesday, he said, “The note verbale was sent to the Indian foreign ministry through our mission in Delhi. There has been no reply yet, and we do not expect an immediate response.”
He added that Dhaka had not received a response to an earlier extradition request either. “I don’t expect they will reply within a week of sending the second letter. But we do expect that India will respond this time,” he said.
Touhid Hossain said the communication informed India that Sheikh Hasina had been convicted after a full trial and must be returned to Bangladesh under legal provisions.
