India Had Limited Options Regarding Hasina, Extradition Request Under Legal Process: Indian High Commissioner

India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, has said that New Delhi had "very limited options" when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in India in August 2024, adding that Bangladesh's request for her extradition is currently being handled through an established legal process.

Speaking during a panel discussion in the capital on Saturday, Trivedi said no timeline could be provided for the extradition process because the matter is before the courts.

"The Government of India has repeatedly stated that there is a process in place, and that process is legal and well-structured. The process is ongoing," he said in response to a question.

He stressed that since the judiciary is involved, "no one can give a specific timeframe" for the outcome.

Referring to the circumstances under which Sheikh Hasina arrived in India after leaving Bangladesh in August 2024, Trivedi said Indian authorities had not anticipated the situation.

"Looking back at history, Sheikh Hasina was not brought to India by the Indian Air Force or the Indian Army," he said, describing the events in Bangladesh at the time as "tragic."

He expressed hope that such a situation would never occur again anywhere in the world.

According to Trivedi, Sheikh Hasina was still serving as Bangladesh's Prime Minister when she reached India, and New Delhi, as a neighbouring country, had to respond to the unfolding circumstances.

"I was watching television, and the news ticker suggested that she was travelling to another country," he recalled.

"At that time, Sheikh Hasina was still the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. We did not have many options. As a neighbour, it was our responsibility to deal with the reality because situations sometimes arise for which no one is prepared," he said.

Questioning what alternatives India realistically had, Trivedi added, "What options did we have? If we had said, 'No, we will not receive her, and we will not allow the aircraft to land,' I do not know what the consequences would have been."

Returning to the extradition issue, the High Commissioner reiterated that India's judicial system is functioning independently and that the request is being addressed through established legal procedures.

"The legal process is underway, and you can be assured of that," he said.

He also noted that, like Bangladesh, India has a vibrant democracy and an independent legal system that is handling the matter.

Bangladesh has repeatedly requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina, who has remained in India since leaving Bangladesh in August 2024.

The issue was also raised by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman during a meeting with Trivedi in Dhaka in August. Following the meeting, India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that Bangladesh's extradition request was being examined in accordance with established legal procedures.