Has Sheikh Hasina Become More of a Liability Than an Asset for New Delhi?

An opinion piece published in The Deltagram has sparked fresh debate on Sheikh Hasina’s prolonged stay in India. Titled “India’s Expired Houseguest: Has Hasina Become More Liability Than Asset?”, the article by Brig Gen Shahedul Anam Khan (Retd), published on July 12, argues that the ousted Awami League leader – who has been in India for nearly two years since the July 2024 uprising – may have become more of a liability than an asset for New Delhi.

The author suggests that India’s growing silence on the matter indicates Hasina may have “outlived her strategic usefulness.”

Her continued presence is now seen as an obstacle to improving bilateral ties, particularly as Bangladesh has repeatedly demanded her extradition following her death sentence by the International Crimes Tribunal.

This discussion has gained new momentum from Hasina’s recent interview with Reuters, where she announced plans to return to Bangladesh around December this year along with senior party colleagues.

She claimed she would surrender before the courts, stating, “They may arrest me on my return; they may even kill me… Still, I have to go.”

However, Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, responded firmly, saying Hasina is a convicted criminal and “will have to go to jail” the moment she returns, with further legal proceedings to follow.

Critics argue that such dramatic statements are less about genuine surrender and more about rallying and motivating her remaining activists, keeping the Awami League’s base emotionally charged from afar.

Her lack of remorse for the events of 2024 and her portrayal of herself as a potential martyr have only deepened public skepticism.

As the Deltagram piece rightly questions, if Hasina truly wishes to face justice, there appears little reason to wait until December.

For India, the situation is becoming increasingly awkward – sheltering her longer risks further damaging relations with Bangladesh, while facilitating her exit could bring its own complications.

The coming months will be critical. Bangladesh expects its neighbor to respect the extradition treaty and allow the law to take its course without further delay.