Bangladesh Appeals to India for Sheikh Hasina's Extradition Amid Political Turmoil.

Dhaka: Bangladesh, which had been at odds with India, has now shifted its stance and is appealing for support. The turning point came due to the growing pressure caused by Sheikh Hasina’s actions, leading Bangladesh to seek India’s assistance.

In August last year, following widespread student protests, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and sought asylum in India. Since then, Bangladesh has been governed by an interim administration, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

Unlike Sheikh Hasina, who maintained close ties with India, Muhammad Yunus has taken a confrontational approach towards India while strengthening ties with Pakistan. This shift has strained the once-strong relationship between India and Bangladesh. Meanwhile, multiple legal cases have been filed against Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh, and the interim government has been consistently requesting India to extradite her. However, India has not yet responded to these appeals, which has been seen as an embarrassment for Bangladesh and a challenge for Yunus, who is keen to remove Hasina from the political scene.

In an attempt to secure Hasina’s extradition, the interim government, under Yunus’s leadership, has intensified its requests to the Indian government. Recently, Bangladesh’s Interim Foreign Minister, Muhammad Tawhid Hossain, appealed directly to India, emphasizing the need for either Hasina’s extradition or, at the very least, restrictions on her activities.

“India should extradite Sheikh Hasina. If not, it should impose certain restrictions on her,” Hossain stated during a recent interview. He argued that Hasina’s ongoing accusations against the interim government are damaging Bangladesh’s stability, especially given the public outrage over her 15 years of alleged misgovernance.

The main reason for Bangladesh’s persistent demands is Hasina’s active presence online, where she continues to release videos criticizing Yunus and the interim government. In her messages, Hasina claims that Yunus attempted to have her killed and accuses his government of pushing Bangladesh backward, leading to economic decline and public hardship. She has also vowed to return to Bangladesh soon.

These public accusations have deeply unsettled Yunus and his interim government, leading them to believe that Hasina’s statements could tarnish their reputation. As a result, Bangladesh is now urging India to either extradite Hasina or impose restrictions on her freedom of speech to prevent further damage.