India extends visa for Hasina amid extradition demands: Sources

New Delhi: India has extended the visa of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been residing in the country since her departure from Dhaka in August last year, even as Bangladesh’s interim government intensifies calls for her extradition.

Sources dismissed speculation about asylum being granted to Hasina, explaining that India lacks specific asylum legislation. “This is purely a technical extension to facilitate her stay,” a source clarified. Hasina is reportedly being housed under tight security in Delhi following her flight from Bangladesh during violent student protests.

The situation has grown more complex with Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, formally requesting Hasina’s extradition on December 23. The request stems from allegations of her involvement in violence and disappearances during the 2024 protests, which resulted in over 500 fatalities.

Tensions escalated on Tuesday when Bangladesh’s immigration department announced the cancellation of 97 passports, including Hasina’s. Government spokesperson Abul Kalam Azad Majumder explained, “Passports of 22 individuals were revoked for their involvement in enforced disappearances, while 75 others, including Sheikh Hasina, were implicated in the July killings.” The development places India in a diplomatic predicament. While Hasina’s extended stay hasn’t immediately affected bilateral relations, critics argue that the charges and passport cancellation are politically motivated actions by Bangladesh’s interim government as it prepares for upcoming general elections.