Hasina extradition under review
India has reaffirmed that ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has not been permitted to use Indian territory for political activities, while maintaining that Bangladesh’s request for her extradition remains under legal review, according to the Indian government’s response to a parliamentary committee.
The response, tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, reiterates New Delhi’s long-standing policy of not allowing its territory to be used for political activities directed against another country.
It forms part of the government’s reply to the 9th Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, which examined the future trajectory of India-Bangladesh relations.
The committee, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, had sought updates on a number of recommendations, including the status of Hasina’s stay in India and Bangladesh’s request for her extradition.
“The Government of India has consistently adhered to the principle of not allowing its territory to be used for political activities directed against another country,” the response said, adding that the same policy has been maintained in Hasina’s case.
Hasina, who has been in India since leaving Bangladesh, has continued to engage with leaders of her Awami League party through virtual meetings. Statements have also been issued in her name, and she has given interviews to several media organisations.
Explaining its decision to allow Hasina to remain in India, the government said providing refuge to individuals facing an imminent threat to life or other extraordinary humanitarian circumstances is consistent with India’s long-standing civilisational values and humanitarian traditions.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended that the government continue to balance humanitarian considerations with international obligations, legal commitments and diplomatic sensitivities in dealing with such cases.
Addressing Bangladesh’s extradition request, the government said the matter is under consideration by the competent authorities and is being processed in accordance with the applicable legal framework. It added that no final decision has yet been taken.
The committee had sought clarification on the status of the request following the pronouncement of a death sentence against Hasina in absentia.
As of July 31, 2026, New Delhi has announced no change in its position on the extradition request. Diplomats in the Indian capital and reports in sections of the Indian media said the document tabled in Parliament largely formalises the government’s existing stance rather than signalling a policy shift.
The response also reiterates the position previously articulated by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, who told a regular media briefing that India had received Bangladesh’s extradition request and that it was being examined through the due legal process.
The parliamentary response is the latest formal articulation of New Delhi’s position, underscoring policy continuity on both Hasina’s presence in India and the pending extradition request while leaving the matter to the ongoing legal process.
