BNP Demands India Extradite Sheikh Hasina After Landslide Election Victory
Following a historic win, Bangladesh’s BNP urges India to hand over ex-PM Sheikh Hasina to face trial at home.
In the wake of a sweeping electoral victory, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday renewed its demand for the extradition of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India to face trial in Bangladesh. The request follows Hasina’s exile in New Delhi after being sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025 for crimes against humanity related to the 2024 mass uprising.
Senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed emphasized that the party fully supports ongoing diplomatic efforts between the two countries’ foreign ministries to facilitate Hasina’s return. “The foreign minister has already pressed the case for her extradition, and we support it,” Ahmed said, calling the matter a legal and diplomatic process.
Ahmed clarified that while pressing for Hasina’s extradition, Bangladesh seeks balanced and respectful ties with all regional partners, including India. “We need a friendly relationship based on mutual respect and equality with all countries, including India,” he added, stressing that diplomacy and legal accountability can coexist.
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The BNP’s demand comes shortly after Thursday’s general elections, the first national vote held since the August 2024 uprising that forced Hasina to flee the country. The party’s landslide win has been hailed as a reflection of public sentiment against the former Awami League government, which was barred from contesting amid investigations into its role during the uprising.
Ahmed also defended the inclusivity of the election, rejecting criticisms that excluding the Awami League undermined democratic legitimacy. “People of the country know that this was a very inclusive election,” he said, noting that the party’s removal and ongoing legal proceedings were part of the lawful process.
Political observers note that BNP’s demand for extradition could test India-Bangladesh relations, as New Delhi has so far provided refuge to Hasina while maintaining strategic ties with Dhaka. Analysts say that how India responds may influence diplomatic and trade engagements in the coming months.
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