MC EXCLUSIVE ‘No way India will extradite her’: Why Hasina issue won’t shake ties with Bangladesh

Hasina extradition unlikely to derail India ties

After being sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister, Tarique Rahman faces an uphill task in resetting the country’s ties with neighbours, especially India, as his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) begins governing after a decisive election victory.

Rahman struck a calibrated note on foreign policy hours before the oath ceremony, saying national interest would guide Dhaka’s approach. “The interests of Bangladesh and its people will determine our foreign policy,” he said when asked about relations with India, signalling continuity rather than confrontation at a sensitive diplomatic moment.

That tone is likely to hold despite renewed domestic calls in Bangladesh for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, according to Kanwal Sibal. The former Indian foreign secretary said the issue may generate periodic political “noise” but is unlikely to become a deal-breaker for India–Bangladesh relations under the new BNP government.

In an interview with Moneycontrol, Sibal underlined New Delhi’s red line. “There is no way India is going to extradite her. No way. They have passed a death sentence on her. There’s no way that India will let her return to Bangladesh,” he said, making clear that India’s position is firm and unlikely to shift.

Sibal argued that Rahman’s government is expected to treat the extradition demand largely as rhetoric rather than a core diplomatic demand. “If he [Tarique Rahman] makes noises now and then that, you know, India should extradite her or India should be sensitive to Bangladesh’s concerns, let the relationship move forward in other areas. Then the issue will be there, but it will not materially affect our ties,” he said.

The assessment comes as policymakers in New Delhi weigh the implications of the BNP’s return to power and the shape of post-election diplomacy. While Hasina’s status remains a potent symbol in Bangladesh’s domestic politics, Sibal suggested India should prioritise practical engagement. “My own feeling is that we will go ahead and see where we can have positive interaction and remove some of the wrinkles and misunderstandings that have occurred, especially with regard to the protection of minorities and keep discussing this Sheikh Hasina issue,” he said.

Sibal cautioned that the risk of friction would rise only if Hasina herself begins intervening in Bangladeshi politics from abroad. “Now it will become more problematic if Sheikh Hasina starts interfering in politics there by repeated statements and this and that. Then, of course, we’ll have to see how that has to be handled. But somehow I feel we’ll be able to handle this situation,” he added.

Overall, Sibal’s reading points to a transactional but stable phase in India–Bangladesh ties under Rahman, with clear guardrails on sensitive issues. “Even though BNP has had difficult ties with India historically, the fact that Jamaat cannot exercise undue influence and that the Hasina issue will not be allowed to dominate our ties is strategically significant,” he said.

With Rahman sworn in and the BNP firmly in control, New Delhi is preparing for cautious, predictable diplomacy—managing political noise while engaging Dhaka on trade, security and minority protection, rather than allowing a single contentious issue to define the relationship.