Bangladesh has indicated that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not visit India unless New Delhi takes steps to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following the 2024 uprising.
Dhaka has repeatedly requested Hasina’s extradition after she was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death. India has said the request is still “under examination.”
Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry official A.K.M. Shahidul Karim said a “propitious environment” must first be created for Rahman’s proposed India visit, adding that Dhaka had urged Indian authorities to expedite efforts to extradite Hasina and other fugitives.
Speculation over a possible visit intensified after Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Rahman last week. However, Karim said Hasina’s continued media interactions had complicated the situation.
Rahman, who assumed office in February, has already visited Malaysia and China, breaking with the traditional pattern of Bangladeshi leaders making India their first overseas destination.
Dhaka has also signalled a tougher diplomatic approach under its “Bangladesh First” policy, emphasising sovereignty and non-interference while maintaining its aim of developing mutually beneficial relations with India and other countries.