Key Facts

The chief prosecutor of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka formally announced plans to seek the provisional arrest and extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India, asserting that she faces capital charges for alleged crimes against humanity during the July–August student protests that led to her government's collapse. Sheikh Hasina has resided in India since fleeing Dhaka in August 2024. The extradition request places India in a delicate diplomatic bind under the bilateral India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty signed in 2013, with legal experts noting that the treaty contains clauses exempting offences of a 'political character', while allowing extradition for violent acts.

GK Context

The India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty was signed in January 2013 by the UPA government and amended in 2016 to waive the requirement of furnishing discrete judicial evidence for accused persons facing trial. Under Article 6 of the treaty, an extradition request may be refused if the offence is of a political character. However, Article 6(2) creates exceptions for murder, crimes involving firearms, and acts of terrorism. India shares a 4,096-km border with Bangladesh (the longest land border India shares with any neighbour), making bilateral stability, border security, and regional connectivity paramount for New Delhi's Act East policy.