Sheikh Hasina wasn’t brought to India by its Air Force or Army: Dinesh Trivedi

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi. Photo : Collected

Stressing that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was not brought to India by the Indian Air Force or Indian Army, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Saturday said the legal process concerning Bangladesh’s request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India is ongoing, and no timeframe can be given as courts are involved.

“Again and again, the government of India has replied to this that there is a process, and the process is legal, and it is well structured. So, as far as that is concerned, the process is on,” Trivedi said while responding to a question during a panel discussion.

He said the courts are involved in the matter and therefore “nobody can give you a timeframe.”

Trivedi also referred to the circumstances under which Hasina came to India after leaving Bangladesh in August 2024, saying the Indian authorities were not prepared for the situation.

“Going back to history, Hasina was not brought to India by the Indian Air Force or Indian Army,” he said, referring to the circumstances surrounding her departure from Bangladesh.

He said the situation unfolded because of “tragic circumstances” in Bangladesh at the time, adding that such circumstances should never be repeated anywhere in the world.

Trivedi said Hasina was still the Prime Minister of Bangladesh when she arrived in India, and New Delhi had to respond to the situation as a neighbouring country.

“I was watching on television, and the scroll was coming that she’s going somewhere else in some other country,” he said.

“At that point in time, Hasina was still the prime minister of Bangladesh. We had hardly any choice on that. It was our duty as a neighbour to accept the reality of life, because situations are such where at times you are not prepared for it,” the Indian envoy said.

He questioned what India’s alternative could have been under those circumstances.

“What was our choice? If you would have said that no, we are not going to accept, we don’t give landing permission. Things would have been I don’t know what,” Trivedi said.

He, however, returned to the present legal process, stressing that India’s judicial system is functioning and that the extradition issue is being dealt with through the established process.

“The legal process is there in place, which you can be very sure,” he said, adding that India is a “vibrant democracy,” as is Bangladesh, and that the legal system is continuing to deal with the matter.

Bangladesh has repeatedly requested India to extradite Hasina, who has been staying in India since her departure from Bangladesh in August 2024.

The issue was also raised by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman during his meeting with Trivedi in Dhaka in August.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs subsequently said that Bangladesh’s request was being examined in line with established procedures.