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Bangladesh has said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not travel to India until New Delhi takes steps to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after her government was removed during a deadly uprising in 2024.
Relations between the two neighbouring countries have remained strained since the protests that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule and forced her departure. Hasina, once seen as a pro-democracy figure, has faced accusations from critics of becoming increasingly authoritarian during her time in power.
A Bangladeshi tribunal has convicted Hasina of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death, prompting repeated requests from Dhaka for her return to face justice. India has said the extradition request is currently “under examination”.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry official A.K.M. Shahidul Karim on Sunday dismissed reports suggesting that Rahman could visit India next week, saying conditions must first improve.
“We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit,” Karim told reporters.
He added that Bangladesh had asked Indian authorities to “expedite their efforts to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives”.
Rahman, who assumed office in February, has visited Malaysia and China but has not made India his first foreign destination, breaking a long-standing tradition among Bangladeshi leaders.
Speculation about a possible visit increased after India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, met with Rahman last week. Karim confirmed that officials from both countries have been discussing a visit but said the process has been affected by Hasina’s continued public statements.
“The process has been vitiated by Sheikh Hasina’s open media interactions, despite her being a convict in crimes against humanity,” he said.
Hasina has said she plans to return to Bangladesh in December, even if it means facing imprisonment.
Karim also said Bangladesh’s foreign policy under Rahman would follow a “Bangladesh First” approach, focusing on sovereignty and non-interference while maintaining mutually beneficial relations with India and other countries.
