Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry has formally requested India to immediately hand over former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, following their convictions in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal–Bangladesh (ICT-BD).
In a statement issued on Monday, Dhaka said the two former officials—believed to be currently residing in India—must be returned under the existing extradition treaty between the countries. The Ministry warned that providing shelter to individuals convicted of serious offences would be considered an “unfriendly act,” urging New Delhi to facilitate their transfer “without delay.”
Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan were sentenced to death after being found guilty of crimes against humanity linked to the crackdown on student protests in 2024. The verdicts were delivered in their absence, as both fled Bangladesh after Hasina’s government was ousted in August 2024.
India has yet to issue an official response. The request adds new diplomatic strain between the neighbours as Bangladesh intensifies legal action against former officials accused of abuses during the final months of Hasina’s rule.
