India examining Hasina extradition request under established procedure
New Delhi says Bangladesh’s request is being reviewed under established procedures, while the probe into suspects in Sharif Osman Hadi’s killing remains a legal matter.
Highlights:
- India is reviewing Bangladesh's request to extradite Sheikh Hasina
- New Delhi says it follows established extradition procedures
- Tarique Rahman raised Hasina's extradition during talks with India's envoy
- India calls Hadi murder suspects' handover an ongoing legal matter
- Two main suspects were arrested by West Bengal Police
- Tarique was invited to September's BRICS Summit in New Delhi
India is examining Bangladesh's request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina under its established procedures, the country's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said today (11 August).
"Our position is very clear. We are looking into the case as per the established procedure we have," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters.
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His remarks came a day after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman raised the issue of Hasina's extradition from India during his first meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi.
Asked about Bangladesh's request for India to hand over two suspects in the killing of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, who are currently in Indian custody, Jaiswal described the matter as "a legal matter" and said the investigation was ongoing.
Hadi was shot in Dhaka on 12 December last year and later died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Singapore on 18 December.
In March this year, the West Bengal Police Special Task Force arrested Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, identified as the two main suspects in the killing.
Asked about the issues discussed during Tarique Rahman's meeting with the Indian high commissioner, Jaiswal said the two sides discussed "matters of mutual interest".
On reports of a meeting between Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Parag Jain and PM's defence adviser in Dhaka, Jaiswal said he had no information and suggested that the relevant ministry be approached.
Asked whether India planned to invite Tarique Rahman for a bilateral visit ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September, Jaiswal said the Bangladesh prime minister had already been invited shortly after taking office in February.
He added that Tarique had recently been invited to the upcoming BRICS Summit in his capacity as chairman of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
"We will let you know if there is any update," Jaiswal said.
