Sheikh Hasina’s Return: India Rules Out Change in Position

New Delhi: As Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina plans to return to Dhaka, India on Tuesday reacted cautiously, saying there is no change in its approach on the issue.

Hasina, 78, has been living in India after she fled Dhaka following the collapse of her government in August, 2024 in the face of a massive anti-government agitation.

Last week, sources close to Hasina said the former prime minister is preparing to voluntarily return to Dhaka to revive her Awami League party.

"There is no change in our approach to the matter. Any extradition matter is a legal issue, and it will be dealt with accordingly," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

He was responding to a question on the issue.

In November last, Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal in Dhaka for alleged "crimes against humanity" over her government's brutal crackdown on student-led protests in 2024.

Since the verdict, Dhaka has been urging New Delhi to extradite her to face the law.

"We are all prepared to welcome our leader back," Kazi Nasim Rupak, a member of the publicity sub-committee of the Awami League party, told PTI Videos on Friday.

The relations between India and Bangladesh witnessed major downturn after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government in August, 2024.

The two sides initiated efforts to stabilise the relations after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, represented India at the inauguration of Tarique Rahman as the prime minister in Dhaka on February 17.

Rahman became the prime minister following his party BNP's landslide victory in the parliamentary polls. Hasina's Awami League party was barred from contesting the polls.

In April, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman visited India as part of efforts to repair the strained bilateral ties following more than 18 months of heightened diplomatic tension.

It was the first high-level visit to India by a senior member of the new Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government.