New Delhi has not offered any date by which Sheikh Hasina might be sent back, noting that Dhaka's extradition request remains under active legal review. The comments from Dinesh Trivedi, who holds the post of High Commissioner to Bangladesh, came at a Dhaka forum convened by a private think tank on Saturday.
Pressed on the question of when Bangladesh might see Hasina returned, Trivedi told reporters that no one could put a timeline on the matter. Trivedi noted that the government had repeatedly conveyed, in its responses, that a formal procedure was in place to handle the request — one that followed established legal channels and operated within a defined framework.
Since fleeing Bangladesh on 5 August 2024, following the collapse of her administration amid a widespread protest movement, Hasina — now 79 — has remained in India.
Trivedi went on to address the question of how Hasina reached India, stating that neither the Air Force nor the Army had any role in transporting her there. A Bangladesh Air Force plane carried her to her destination as crowds swelled and demonstrators pressed toward the grounds of her official home. Trivedi noted that Hasina held the position of Bangladesh's prime minister at that juncture, leaving India, as a neighbouring country, with limited options in how it responded. The options available at that point were limited.
Trivedi noted that accepting the realities thrust upon people by circumstances beyond their control was, in his view, an obligation tied to being a neighbour — particularly when those circumstances arrive without warning or preparation. Denying the aircraft permission to land, he noted, would have introduced a different kind of uncertainty — before posing the question of what alternative had actually been available. The statement put forward was that landing authorisation would not be granted and that the request would not be accepted. He noted that, without it, the situation could have ended up in a very different place.
Trivedi characterised Hasina's exit as having unfolded under deeply unfortunate conditions, adding that no country anywhere should find itself facing a comparable situation. Trivedi's statement on the prospect of Hasina's extradition marked the first time he had spoken about the matter directly. Prior to that point, he had chosen not to weigh in on matters touching on "politics."
Where Hasina has been residing since leaving Bangladesh has placed noticeable strain on the relationship between the two neighbouring governments. Ties between the two sides frayed further under the caretaker administration that Muhammad Yunus headed following the collapse of Hasina's government in August 2024. Beyond the extradition dispute, tensions between India and Bangladesh have also taken shape around the treatment of minority communities and Dhaka's deepening ties with China.
A special tribunal convened proceedings against Hasina in her absence during 2025, ultimately handing down a death penalty verdict. Two actions followed from the caretaker administration: a formal ban placed on her Awami League party and a diplomatic note lodged requesting her extradition.
Following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's victory in the 12 February vote, with Tarique Rahman at its helm, authorities in Dhaka maintained their calls for New Delhi to return Hasina. Participation in the vote was not permitted for the Awami League.
Disagreements over extradition terms have placed Rahman's intended visit to India on uncertain footing. Two invitations had been directed at him — one tied to the BRICS Summit convened the previous month, the other a standalone bilateral outreach extended at an earlier point. No trip to New Delhi materialised for Rahman following the assumption of office, nor did attendance at the summit.
A remote press conference that Hasina held from New Delhi on August 5 pushed the atmosphere of discord a step further. That media appearance marked her first public-facing interaction following her departure from Bangladesh. Speaking at the audio-only event, Hasina expressed her intention to return to Bangladesh in December and pledged to steer the country toward what she described as the "right track," while also acknowledging that imprisonment or harm upon her return remained possibilities she was prepared to face, adding that her place was with her people back home. Bangladesh's foreign ministry subsequently stated that Hasina's virtual participation had "vitiated" the process surrounding Rahman's proposed visit to India.
New Delhi distanced itself from the gathering, stating through official channels that it played no part in organising the event and took no position on the remarks directed at the Bangladeshi administration. Bangladesh's Home Minister, Salahuddin Ahmed, stated that Hasina would face immediate arrest upon any return to the country, with no option for a voluntary surrender available to her. The ruling handed down against her, he noted, would be carried out in line with applicable legal procedures.
