Senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has expressed confidence that India may extradite former prime minister Sheikh Hasina if the matter proceeds through established legal and international procedures, while emphasising that the issue is unlikely to disrupt relations between Dhaka and New Delhi. His remarks come shortly after the BNP’s decisive victory in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections.
In an interview with India Today, Fakhrul stated that any request for Hasina’s return would be handled strictly in accordance with legal frameworks and international norms. He noted that Bangladesh has already formally sought her repatriation from India and stressed that the process would depend on existing rules governing extradition between the two countries. According to him, the matter would be resolved through institutional and diplomatic channels rather than political confrontation.
Sheikh Hasina has been residing in New Delhi since August 2024, when widespread protests forced her to step down and leave Bangladesh. In November 2025, a special tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced her to death in absentia in a case linked to alleged crimes against humanity connected to the violent suppression of the 2024 uprising.
When asked whether a BNP-led government would actively pursue her extradition, Fakhrul reiterated that the party supports bringing her back through lawful means. He acknowledged that Bangladesh and India already maintain an extradition treaty, which could serve as the legal basis for any future action. At the same time, he avoided framing the issue as a political demand, instead presenting it as a matter to be addressed through due judicial and diplomatic procedures.
Fakhrul dismissed concerns that the extradition question could hinder efforts to normalise bilateral ties. He said India has never denied Hasina’s presence within its territory and suggested that future developments would depend on evolving diplomatic circumstances. Expressing optimism, he added that both countries would likely manage the issue pragmatically, stating that time and dialogue could help ease sensitivities surrounding the matter.
A long-time senior figure within the BNP and a close associate of party leader Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul has played a central role in guiding the party during periods of political transition, including years when Rahman remained in exile abroad. His comments reflect the BNP leadership’s attempt to balance legal accountability with the need to maintain stable relations with India following the change of government in Dhaka.
The statements followed the BNP’s landslide electoral victory in the first parliamentary polls held after the political upheaval of 2024. The Awami League, led by Hasina, was barred from participating after the interim administration headed by Muhammad Yunus suspended the party’s activities in 2025 amid investigations into its role during the unrest.
Earlier, another senior BNP leader, Salahuddin Ahmed, said the party would continue to pursue Hasina’s return through legal and diplomatic mechanisms. He noted that Bangladesh’s foreign ministry had already taken up the matter and urged India to cooperate under existing legal arrangements so that Hasina could face trial in Bangladesh.
Overall, BNP leaders have sought to frame the extradition issue as a legal process rather than a political dispute, signalling their intention to pursue accountability while maintaining constructive diplomatic engagement with India.
