In a significant diplomatic move, the newly formed BNP government in Bangladesh, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has officially requested India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. During a high-level meeting in Delhi, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman placed this demand before India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar.

This marks the first major bilateral dialogue since Tarique Rahman assumed office. The request also includes the extradition of former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Notably, Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal during the interim Yunus administration, a decision now upheld by the newly elected government. Analysts suggest that by pursuing this extradition, the BNP government aims to satisfy domestic political demands while the Bangladesh Parliament continues its resolve to ban the Awami League.

Beyond political negotiations, the visit also focused on energy cooperation. In a meeting with Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Dhaka requested increased diesel supplies from India. While India has been providing fuel recently, the Ministry stated that further supplies would depend on internal demand assessments. The world is now watching how New Delhi balances its historic ties with Sheikh Hasina against the evolving relationship with the new administration in Dhaka.