India has declined to comment on former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s possible return to Bangladesh, clarifying that its repeated references to the matter as a legal issue concern only the extradition process.
“When I talked about the legal matter, it is about the extradition part of it. To the other part of your question, I have no comment to offer,” Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a biweekly media briefing in New Delhi today (13 November).
He was responding to a question about Hasina’s reported plans to return to Bangladesh and India’s position on the matter.
The spokesperson also declined to comment on reports that India wanted Bangladesh to send a military aircraft to bring Hasina back and that she should be given an opportunity to present her position and receive a fair trial over the crackdown on street protests in July and August 2024.
Meanwhile, addressing questions about bilateral engagement, Jaiswal said the next round of India-Bangladesh consular dialogue would be held at a mutually convenient date and would also cover revised travel arrangements.
Reiterating that “India desires a positive, constructive and forward-looking relationship with Bangladesh”, he said New Delhi remained ready to discuss all issues with Dhaka through existing bilateral mechanisms, including at the technical level.
Jaiswal said initiatives had been taken and meetings held under established mechanisms on issues relating to trade, railways, water resources and water management, among others.
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