Dhaka, August 16, 2026: Bangladesh has said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not visit India until New Delhi extradites former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following the 2024 uprising that toppled her government.
Relations between Bangladesh and India have remained strained since the deadly anti-government protests that forced Hasina to leave Bangladesh. She remains in India and faces the death penalty in Bangladesh after being convicted of crimes against humanity.
Bangladesh has repeatedly requested her extradition. India has said the request is currently “under examination.”
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Foreign Ministry official A.K.M. Shahidul Karim dismissed speculation that Rahman could travel to India next week, saying that an appropriate environment needed to be created before such a visit could take place.
“To this end, we have urged the Indian authorities to expedite their efforts to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives,” Karim said.
Rahman assumed office in February and has since visited Malaysia and China, breaking with the tradition of Bangladeshi leaders making India their first foreign destination.
Speculation about a possible India visit intensified after Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Rahman last week. Karim confirmed that officials from the two countries had been in contact in recent weeks over the possibility of a visit.
However, he said the process had been complicated by Hasina’s public media appearances despite her conviction.
“But the process has been vitiated by Sheikh Hasina’s open media interactions, despite her being a convict in crimes against humanity,” Karim said.
Hasina, who served as Bangladesh’s prime minister for 15 years, has maintained that she will return to Bangladesh in December even if she faces imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Karim said the government would pursue a “Bangladesh First” foreign policy based on national sovereignty and non-interference while seeking mutually beneficial relations with India and other countries.
The development highlights the continuing diplomatic strain between Dhaka and New Delhi, with the extradition of Hasina emerging as a key issue in efforts to reset bilateral relations.
