Bangladesh's demand for Sheikh Hasina's extradition: Is this the beginning of a new conflict between Delhi and Dhaka?

Shakeel Akhtar

Ahadah, BBC Urdu.com, Delhi

December 28, 2024

Pros of Addressing the Demand:

1. Improved Bilateral Relations:

Resolving the issue diplomatically could strengthen ties between India and Bangladesh.  

2. Regional Stability: 

A cooperative approach can ensure peace in South Asia and avoid potential conflicts.  

3. Respect for Sovereignty:

 India acknowledging Bangladesh's concerns may enhance mutual respect and collaboration.  

4. Public Sentiment:

 Acting on Bangladesh’s demand could align with public opinion in Dhaka, fostering goodwill.  

Cons of Addressing the Demand:

  

1. Political Repercussions: 

Extraditing Sheikh Hasina (if demanded) could destabilize Bangladesh’s internal politics, impacting India’s ally in the region.  

2. Tension with Opposition: 

Supporting Bangladesh's request might alienate certain political groups in India.  

3. Risk of Precedent: 

Agreeing to such demands could set a precedent for similar requests from other nations.  

4. Economic Fallout:

Tensions between Delhi and Dhaka might affect trade and economic partnerships, such as cross-border projects.

The interim government of Bangladesh has sent a diplomatic message to India demanding that India hand over ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the Bangladeshi government.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Tohid Hossain told the media that “Bangladesh wants to bring her back for judicial process.”

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that Bangladesh has sent a formal diplomatic letter regarding the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that he cannot say anything more at this stage.

It may be recalled that former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in Delhi from Dhaka on August 5 after massive protests and violent demonstrations against her government in the country.

She has been residing in Delhi since then. Initially, there were reports that she would leave Delhi for the UK, but she could not go there for some reason.

Sheikh Hasina and her party Awami League are considered very close to Delhi.

After the public protests and demonstrations in August in Bangladesh, the interim government there, after an initial investigation, has registered several cases against the ousted prime minister in connection with the deaths of hundreds of students and other matters.

Her proximity to India and her asylum here have created strong feelings of resentment against India among the people of Bangladesh.

‘Bangladesh has just filled the blanks to show the public’

India and Bangladesh have an extradition treaty for criminals and wanted persons. The Indian government was expecting that at some stage the interim government of Bangladesh would demand Sheikh Hasina’s extradition. It is highly unlikely that India will hand her over to Dhaka.

South Asian affairs analyst Nirupama Subramanian believes that ‘Bangladesh also knows that India will not hand over Sheikh Hasina to it. Even if Dhaka takes legal steps in this regard, the process will take many years.’

She says that Dhaka has actually taken this step to show its public that it has issued a notice to India for Sheikh Hasina’s extradition. ‘It has just filled the blanks, it has not even followed the legal procedures of the treaty for the request.’

After the formation of an interim government in Dhaka under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus, the new government was portrayed in the Indian media as a radical Islamist and anti-India and anti-Hindu government.

The media here has repeatedly shown news stories that show scenes of attacks on the country's minority Hindu community and their temples.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has also expressed concern several times in recent months about the attacks on the minority Hindu community and their temples in Bangladesh.

Rising tensions between India and Bangladesh

Just last week, another dispute between India and Bangladesh was seen erupting when Mahfuz Alam, an advisor to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, shared a post on Facebook in which the three Indian states of Tripura, West Bengal and Assam were shown as part of Bangladesh.

However, after criticism, Mahfuz Alam deleted the post from Facebook.

Brahma Chellani, a strategic affairs expert in India, shared a screenshot of Mahfuz Alam's Facebook post and wrote, "In the presence of former US President Bill Clinton, Muhammad Yunus introduced Mahfuz Alam as the mastermind behind the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina's government."

"Now these Islamic student leaders want a united Bangladesh in which they also want to include some parts of India. Mahfuz Alam has been given the status of a minister in Muhammad Yunus's government."

Last week, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs was also asked about Mahbub Alam and his Facebook post and they replied: 'As far as we know, that Facebook post has been deleted. We would like to warn that one should be careful while making such statements.'

'The security of the northeastern states is linked to relations with Bangladesh'

Foreign affairs analyst Neenima Basu says, 'There have been attacks on Hindus there. But it is important to know that most of the Hindus are supporters of the Awami League. Most of the attacks have actually been on Hindus who support the Awami League. These attacks have also been on a large scale on Muslims. Therefore, their nature is not religious but political. But the way it has been exaggerated here has certainly affected the relations between the two countries.'

Neenima has visited Bangladesh after the formation of the interim government. She believes that the Hindus there want to protect their democratic rights in the changing system of the country.

She says, "It is not that if the Hindus of Bangladesh get a chance, they will all come to India. If they get a chance, they will all go to America and Europe. They have no particular interest in India."

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated significantly since the formation of the interim government. So will the 

demand for Sheikh Hasina's extradition now worsen these relations?

Analyst Nirupama Subramanian says that it will not have any significant impact on the relations between the two countries.

She says, "Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishra recently visited Dhaka. This was, in a way, Delhi's admission that Sheikh Hasina is not going to come to power in the near future and that it will take a long time for her party, the Awami League, to become a viable and popular party again. Therefore, the only way forward for India is to improve its relations with the interim government."

He further says that it is important not only because Bangladesh has a large Hindu minority but also because it is necessary to have good relations with Bangladesh because the security of the northeastern states of the country is linked to it. There is also the question of China's growing influence. The Foreign Secretary's visit to Dhaka is the first major step in this direction.

There is a general concern at the official level in India that democracy in Bangladesh will now weaken and hardline religious elements will seize power. The Bangladesh interim government has enlightened members as well as elements who believe in hardline religious ideology.

There has already been an attempt to turn history a little backwards, but such attempts have been resisted in Bangladesh.

Foreign affairs analyst Neenima Basu says that “the biggest complaint of the people against Sheikh Hasina was that she used to contest elections herself and she used to steal elections herself. Other parties were not allowed to participate in the elections. The most important thing for them is that there are early elections and all parties are allowed to participate in them. Because democracy requires the participation of everyone. The interim government has said many times that Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country, but this does not mean that other religious minorities will not get equal rights.”

The Bangladesh interim government is in a difficult position. He has raised public expectations with his program of promoting democracy and large-scale administrative reforms. But if the reform process is delayed and the country's faltering economy does not improve, public patience with the interim government will begin to run out.

Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, commented on the situation in Bangladesh in an article, saying, “It is important to remember that there is no elected government in Dhaka. Nevertheless, the emergence of a powerful new political group determined to restore democracy has given hope for Bangladesh’s democracy. Among them are the protesting student leaders who drove Sheikh Hasina out of the country. Some of these leaders are part of the interim government. This interim government includes respected human rights activists and many elements who are pushing for democratic reforms.”

The interim government of Bangladesh is led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. He is considered one of the country’s leading democrats. He is highly respected by the people of Bangladesh, especially the youth.

Michael Kugelman says, “There are many examples in the past when the resistance strengthened the democracy of their country. In this regard, the names of Vlach Hevel of Czechoslovakia and Kim Dae-jong of South Korea can be mentioned. In these countries, resistance parties seized power and subsequently consolidated democracy there. The possibility cannot be ruled out that Yunus and the student leaders who came with him will form their own political party to end the politics of the dynastic and non-democratic political leaders of Bangladesh.

Related Topics

#India #Bangladesh #Narendra_Modi #South_Asia #Politics