Bangladesh has linked the proposed India visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to its demand for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, saying a “propitious environment” must be created before the bilateral trip can take place.
Bangladesh Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim said on Sunday that officials from Dhaka and New Delhi had been in contact for several weeks regarding the possibility of Rahman visiting India.
However, Karim said the process had been affected by Hasina’s open press interaction in New Delhi on August 5. He said Bangladesh had already made its position clear regarding the former prime minister, who has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh for crimes against humanity.
“We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit,” Karim said at a press briefing in Dhaka.
He said Bangladesh had asked Indian authorities to act on its extradition request for Hasina and other fugitives and was awaiting a response from New Delhi.
“To this end, we have requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on our request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals,” Karim said.
Dhaka has also sought the handover of those accused of killing Sharif Osman Hadi, referring to the bilateral extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh.
The two demands have now emerged as key issues in the discussions surrounding Rahman’s proposed visit to India.
Karim said Bangladesh expected the extradition requests to be addressed in accordance with the existing bilateral treaty. He did not indicate whether a date had been finalised for Rahman’s proposed visit.
The comments come amid continued engagement between the two neighbouring countries as Dhaka seeks to reset its relations with New Delhi.
Karim also reiterated Bangladesh’s broader foreign policy approach, describing it as a “Bangladesh First” policy. He said Dhaka would continue to pursue friendly relations with other countries, including its neighbours, based on sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in internal affairs and mutual benefit.
Rahman’s proposed visit comes against the backdrop of politically sensitive ties between India and Bangladesh, with Hasina currently in India after leaving Bangladesh.
Dhaka has repeatedly sought her return to face legal proceedings in the country. India has been examining Bangladesh’s requests under the framework governing extradition between the two countries.
For now, Bangladesh said it was awaiting New Delhi’s response to its latest requests while maintaining that a favourable environment was necessary for Rahman’s proposed bilateral visit.
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