India Says Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request Will Be Handled as a Legal Matter

India has said that Bangladesh’s request to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be treated as a legal matter and handled according to the law.

Speaking at a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position on the issue remains unchanged.

“Our position on this specific matter has not changed. Any extradition is a legal issue, and this matter too will be dealt with accordingly,” Jaiswal said.

The remarks came in response to a question from an Indian journalist about Sheikh Hasina’s recent interview with Reuters, in which she said that she and other Awami League leaders were planning to return to Bangladesh by December.

Sheikh Hasina and several senior Awami League figures have been staying in India since she left Bangladesh in August 2024 following a student-led mass uprising.

The Bangladeshi government has repeatedly sent requests to India seeking Hasina’s extradition so that she can face trial in cases involving crimes against humanity, murder and other charges.

Meanwhile, Jaiswal also responded to media reports suggesting that Indian development projects in Bangladesh could be suspended due to a lack of progress. He said the projects were initiated through mutual consultation with the Bangladeshi government and continue to operate under the same framework.

The development projects were launched and implemented during Sheikh Hasina’s long tenure as prime minister, with many of them beginning before August 2024.