Bangladesh demands India return Sheikh Hasina, sentenced to death, to face judgment

New Delhi: Bangladesh, on Monday, 17 November 2025, formally requested India(BHARAT) to immediately hand over ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, asserting that New Delhi is obligated to do so under the bilateral extradition treaty. The demand comes hours after Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Kamal to death for their alleged role in last year’s violent crackdown on a nationwide student uprising.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry issues statement

Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, “The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has convicted both of them of crimes against humanity and sentenced them to death for the July massacre. Any country harbouring these absconding convicts would be an act of extreme hostility and a blatant miscarriage of justice.” Bangladesh’s interim government cited the 2013 extradition treaty with India(BHARAT). Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “India(BHARAT) has a mandatory duty to extradite these convicts to Bangladesh under the existing extradition treaty between the two countries. We appeal to the India(BHARAT)n government to immediately hand them over to Bangladeshi authorities.”

The ministry said that given the gravity of the charges against Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and the International Crimes Tribunal’s findings in this case, Bangladesh hopes that India(BHARAT) will honor its legal obligations. Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal have been seeking asylum in New Delhi since August 5, 2024. The ICT also sentenced former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who was tried in absentia for crimes against humanity, to death. Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry said in its statement that like Hasina, Kamal should be repatriated without delay to face the sentence imposed by the tribunal.

What did India(BHARAT) say about Sheikh Hasina’s sentence?

Meanwhile, India(BHARAT)’s Ministry of External Affairs, reacting to the International Criminal Tribunal’s decision regarding Sheikh Hasina, stated, “As a close neighbour, we are committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including peace, democracy, inclusiveness, and political stability. We will engage constructively with all stakeholders in Bangladesh.” The Ministry of External Affairs’ statement did not directly mention Bangladesh’s demand for Sheikh Hasina’s extradition.

India(BHARAT)-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty

The Extradition Treaty between India(BHARAT) and Bangladesh was signed by the governments of both countries in Dhaka on January 28, 2013. This treaty was created to combat extremism, terrorism, and criminal activities along their shared borders. The treaty came into effect on October 23, 2013, and was amended in 2016 to simplify the extradition process. The treaty has 13 articles, which define the procedure, exceptions, and central authorities for the exchange of criminals.