India has said it is reviewing Bangladesh’s request to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through its legal and judicial processes.
Speaking at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday (July 17), ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Bangladesh’s extradition request is being examined in accordance with India’s legal framework and judicial procedures.
During the briefing, a journalist asked about Sheikh Hasina’s recent interview with Reuters, in which she reportedly announced her intention to return to Bangladesh. The journalist also sought India’s official position on the matter and asked whether New Delhi and Dhaka had held any formal discussions regarding her possible return.
In response, Jaiswal reiterated India’s earlier position, saying, “We have received an extradition request from Bangladesh. As we have stated previously, the request is currently under examination as part of our internal legal and judicial process. Extradition is a highly sensitive matter for any country and is considered strictly within the framework of applicable laws and judicial procedures. A decision will be made after reviewing India’s domestic laws and the obligations arising from bilateral agreements.”
However, the spokesperson declined to comment on any timeline for a decision or indicate what India’s final position might be regarding Sheikh Hasina’s extradition.
During the same briefing, another journalist asked about a separate extradition request submitted by Bangladesh. The question referred to claims by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs that Indian police had arrested and detained a person accused of murdering a Bangladeshi politician ahead of an election, and that all necessary documents requesting the individual’s extradition had already been sent to the Indian authorities.
Responding to the question, Jaiswal said he had no information on the matter. He added that, regardless of the identity of the accused, all extradition requests are handled in accordance with India’s judicial procedures and international law.
