Bangladesh Demands India Extradite Convicted Ex‑PM Sheikh Hasina as Diplomatic Rift Deepens

Bangladesh demands India hand over convicted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh has formally urged India to stop sheltering former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and hand her over after a domestic tribunal convicted her of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death, officials said on Monday.

The court found Ms Hasina responsible for ordering security forces to use drones, snipers and helicopters against student demonstrators during violent clashes last August — actions prosecutors say led to one of the deadliest political crackdowns in Bangladesh's recent history. Hundreds of people were reported killed in the unrest.

Ms Hasina and her former home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, fled to India shortly after the protests and have refused to return to Bangladesh to face trial. Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, Ms Hasina's niece, declined to comment on the verdict.

"If India continues to shelter this mass murderer, then India must understand that this is a very reprehensible act of hostility against Bangladesh and its people," Bangladesh's law adviser Asif Nazrul told BDNews24.

Dhaka's foreign ministry warned that any granting of asylum to "fugitive convicted individuals" accused of crimes against humanity would amount to "unfriendly behaviour and a travesty of justice." A ministry spokesperson urged New Delhi to "immediately hand over these two convicted individuals to the Bangladesh authorities," adding that such action would be consistent with obligations under the existing bilateral treaty.

New Delhi responded cautiously. An Indian foreign ministry spokesperson said: "We will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end." Analysts point to legal and political complexities: the 2013 extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh contains exemptions for political offences, which could complicate any transfer.

South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman said the treaty's political-offence exemption gives India room to argue the case is political in nature, even where international crimes are alleged. "It is not easy to argue crimes against humanity is a political offence, so Delhi would likely frame the entire case as political," he observed.

Ms Hasina's long tenure in power was marked by repeated accusations — which she denies — of election manipulation and widespread human-rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and enforced disappearances. The UN human rights office has estimated that as many as 1,400 people were killed during the crackdown that ended her 15-year rule.

The unrest began in July with protests against civil service job quotas that allegedly favoured relatives of veterans from the 1971 war of independence and escalated into nationwide demands for Ms Hasina's resignation. On 5 August, she fled by army helicopter minutes before protesters breached her residence; footage showed demonstrators inside the compound.

Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, said Ms Hasina has been staying in a secure house in Delhi. "I am deeply grateful to the Indian people for providing me with a safe haven this past year," she told Indian media from what is believed to be a government-protected location. Dhaka has warned local media against airing her statements, saying they could inflame tensions and threaten national security.

The tribunal also ordered the confiscation of Ms Hasina's assets, reportedly worth billions of Bangladeshi taka, with plans to auction the properties and distribute proceeds to victims of last year's uprising.

With national elections scheduled for February, the ruling Awami League has been banned and the BNP is widely viewed as the frontrunner. The collapse of Ms Hasina's government and India's perceived protection of her have strained bilateral ties: Bangladesh, long a close regional partner for New Delhi, has signalled a desire to "reset" relations and pursue greater economic independence, including plans to develop the Bay of Bengal as a new trade focus under the interim leadership of Muhammad Yunus.

The developments mark a significant diplomatic challenge for India, which had viewed Ms Hasina as an important regional ally in balancing relations with Pakistan and China. Dhaka has accused New Delhi of seeking to undermine the interim government and of spreading misinformation through some media outlets, claims New Delhi denies.

What happens next: The extradition request — if formally lodged — will test the limits of the bilateral treaty, raise complex legal questions about political-offence exemptions, and further influence the diplomatic and electoral landscape in Bangladesh.