NEW DELHI, August 14: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India has become entangled with Dhaka’s demand for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, with the issue emerging as a major hurdle in efforts to reset ties between the two neighbours.
Rahman raised the extradition issue with Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi during their meeting in Dhaka on August 10, according to diplomatic sources. Bangladesh has publicly renewed its request for India to expedite Hasina’s extradition, while New Delhi has said the request is being examined through established procedures.
The development comes ahead of the BRICS outreach session in New Delhi on September 12-13, to which Rahman has been invited as chair of BIMSTEC. India has also separately invited him for a bilateral visit.
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Dhaka has yet to make a final decision on the BRICS invitation. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said there was “no decision yet” on whether the prime minister would travel to India for the summit.
Hasina issue casts shadow over planned visit
The latest friction follows former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s public appearance from New Delhi on August 5, when she said she intended to return to Bangladesh in December despite the possibility of being imprisoned or facing death.
Dhaka reacted sharply to the event, with the Bangladesh government criticising India for allowing Hasina to use its territory for political messaging. India, however, has maintained that it had no role in organising the event and has sought to keep the issue separate from broader bilateral relations.
During his meeting with Trivedi, Rahman stressed the need for a “conducive environment” to improve ties with India. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said Dhaka hoped India would expedite the extradition process.
Trivedi, meanwhile, publicly struck a conciliatory tone after the meeting, saying India was looking forward to Rahman’s visit and that there was no issue between the two countries that could not be resolved through engagement.
India reviewing extradition request
New Delhi has not committed to handing Hasina over to Dhaka. India has said Bangladesh’s extradition request is being examined in accordance with established procedures.
Hasina has remained in India since fleeing Bangladesh following the collapse of her government in August 2024. She was subsequently convicted in absentia in Bangladesh and sentenced to death.
The extradition demand has remained one of the most sensitive issues in India-Bangladesh relations, even as both sides have sought to rebuild ties following the change of government in Dhaka.
Rahman’s government has also sought cooperation from India on other security and legal matters, while New Delhi has stressed the importance of strengthening the broader relationship.
BRICS invitation adds diplomatic pressure
India’s invitation to Rahman carries particular significance because it comes both as a bilateral outreach and through Bangladesh’s role as chair of BIMSTEC.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had invited Rahman “for a bilateral visit” as well as to participate in the BRICS outreach session as BIMSTEC chair.
The uncertainty over the visit comes at a sensitive moment for the relationship. While both governments have publicly expressed interest in improving ties, the Hasina extradition dispute has emerged as a major test of whether the two sides can separate contentious political and legal issues from their wider strategic relationship.
For now, Dhaka has not formally ruled out Rahman’s India visit. A Bangladeshi minister said on Friday that the proposed visit had not yet been finalised, with its timing dependent on the prime minister’s schedule and the progress of discussions between the two countries.
