Bangladesh has been urged to intensify diplomatic efforts to secure the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India following her conviction for crimes against humanity over the deadly 2024 anti-government protests.
Hasina was convicted in November 2025 by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, which found her responsible for atrocities committed during the July-August 2024 uprising. The tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia after finding that she had instigated and facilitated the violence, ordered lethal force against protesters and bore responsibility under the doctrine of superior command responsibility.
The former prime minister has dismissed the proceedings as politically motivated, while Bangladesh has sought her extradition from India to face the sentence.
The case arose from the government’s response to demonstrations that left hundreds dead and thousands injured. A February 2025 report by the United Nations Human Rights Office estimated that up to 1,400 people may have been killed during the uprising and documented widespread violations by government forces and ruling party supporters.
Bangladesh has maintained that Hasina should be returned to face the consequences of the tribunal’s decision. However, India has not approved the extradition request, with the matter remaining subject to applicable legal procedures.
The extradition dispute is governed by the 2013 India-Bangladesh extradition treaty, which provides for the surrender of individuals wanted for qualifying offences while allowing refusal under specified legal circumstances.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Chief Prosecutor at the International Crimes Tribunal, Md Aminul Islam, said on November 10, 2026, that Hasina had exhausted her legal options after failing to appeal within the stipulated 30-day period following the verdict.
He said she would have to seek her return through the Indian government under the bilateral extradition agreement and would face execution of the sentence if returned to Bangladesh.
The extradition request remains a major legal and diplomatic issue between the two neighbouring countries, with Bangladesh insisting that Hasina must be brought back to face the consequences of the tribunal’s decision.
