Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has emerged as a significant diplomatic challenge for India, four weeks after fleeing her country amid a student-led revolution. Her departure ended a 15-year rule marked by heavy-handed governance, including human rights abuses and crackdowns on the opposition.
Now hosting the 76-year-old leader, India faces a delicate situation. Extraditing Hasina could damage its standing with other South Asian countries, where New Delhi is engaged in a strategic contest with Beijing for influence. The situation is further complicated by India’s historical ties with Hasina’s government, which was perceived as more protective of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority compared to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Thomas Kean of the International Crisis Group stated, “India is not going to extradite her to Bangladesh,” highlighting the potential diplomatic fallout of such a move.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a strong advocate for the Hindu faith during his tenure, has expressed support for Bangladesh’s interim government led by 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. However, Modi has also urged the new administration to ensure the safety of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh, who have faced attacks since Hasina’s departure.
The BNP, which was suppressed under Hasina’s rule, has called on India to reconsider its relationship with Bangladesh. Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a senior BNP leader, stated, “The people of Bangladesh want a good relationship with India, but not at the cost of their interests.”
While a bilateral extradition treaty exists between India and Bangladesh, a clause allows refusal if the offence is considered “political.” India’s former ambassador to Bangladesh, Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, suggested that the relationship between the two countries is too important for Dhaka to insist on Hasina’s return.
As Hasina remains in India, her presence continues to pose a sensitive issue with potential consequences for India’s influence in South Asia, especially amid its strategic rivalry with China.
