India examines Bangladesh’s extradition request for former PM Sheikh Hasina

New Delhi: India finds itself navigating a delicate diplomatic challenge as it "examines" an extradition request from Bangladesh's interim government for its former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.

The high-stakes situation unfolded on Wednesday, with India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirming receipt of the extradition plea. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the request is "being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes."

Emphasising India's broader commitment, Jaiswal added, "We remain committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country and will continue to engage constructively in this regard with all stakeholders."

The 78-year-old leader, who has been living in India since fleeing Dhaka last August, was recently sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal for alleged "crimes against humanity" stemming from her government's crackdown on student-led protests last year.

Sheikh Hasina, a prominent figure in Bangladeshi politics and leader of the Awami League, fled her home country on August 5 last year, amid massive unrest. The special tribunal in Dhaka, in its ruling, also handed a death sentence to her close aide and former home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, on similar charges.

Following the tribunal's verdict, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly dispatched a letter to India, demanding Hasina's immediate handover under the existing extradition treaty between the two nations. "This is also a duty for India, as per the extradition treaty existing between the two countries," the Bangladeshi ministry asserted.

However, the legitimacy of the trial itself has been questioned. Sources indicate that India's initial assessment suggests the judicial process leading to Hasina's death sentence suffered from several "lapses," including the "unconstitutional" appointment of judges to the special tribunal.

In her own reaction, Sheikh Hasina vehemently denounced the judgment, calling it the product of a "rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate."

Her party, the Awami League, has also been barred from contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, scheduled for February, a critical backdrop to the current political upheaval.

India, while carefully considering the extradition request, affirmed its close monitoring of all developments in Bangladesh. In a related diplomatic note, the MEA spokesperson also touched upon the recent visit of Bangladesh's National Security Advisor, Khalilur Rahman, to New Delhi. Rahman had extended an invitation to his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, to visit Bangladesh. Jaiswal indicated that this invitation would be "taken forward when the time comes".