Bangladesh on Monday urged India to immediately return former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, asserting that New Delhi is bound to do so under the two countries’ extradition agreement. The request came shortly after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) handed Hasina a death sentence for her alleged involvement in last year’s brutal crackdown on student-led protests.

Hasina, who escaped Bangladesh amid the unrest, is believed to have been staying in India since August 2024. In a formal statement, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the tribunal had found the former premier guilty of “crimes against humanity” related to the July violence. Providing her refuge, the ministry warned, would amount to an “unfriendly gesture” and a dismissal of justice.

“The Government of India must immediately return these two convicted individuals to Bangladeshi authorities,” the statement said, adding that extradition was a compulsory responsibility under the bilateral treaty. Dhaka noted that it expected New Delhi to honour its obligations in view of the seriousness of the verdict.

The tribunal also issued a death penalty for former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who was also tried in absentia. Bangladesh maintained that Kamal, like Hasina, must be sent back without delay to face the sentence pronounced by the court.

India, in its initial response, said it had “taken note” of the judgement. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that as a close neighbour, India remained dedicated to the well-being of Bangladesh’s people and to “peace, democracy, inclusion and stability,” adding that it would continue to engage constructively with all stakeholders. However, New Delhi did not explicitly address Dhaka’s extradition demand.