India is strolling a tightrope, harbouring deposed Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Ms Hasina lives together with her household in a safe authorities bungalow within the capital New Delhi, as a state visitor.
With the menace on her life, the secure home is closely guarded and has intelligence officers conserving journalists and the general public away from the world.
Bangladesh is in a really awkward and troublesome place with the brand new interim authorities led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.
He beforehand spoke to Sky Information – vowing to put Ms Hasina on trial.
Ms Hasina fled the country on 5 August 2024 after a pupil rebellion that ended her 15-year rule.
She is needed again in Bangladesh to face corruption and prison costs over the deaths of hundreds of protesters throughout the rebellion.
In December, the Bangladesh international ministry despatched a observe verbale, an unsigned diplomatic correspondence, in search of the repatriation of Ms Hasina. The identical was acknowledged in New Delhi.
Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Exterior Affairs in India, mentioned: “We affirm that now we have obtained a observe verbale from the Bangladesh Excessive Fee right now in reference to an extradition request.
“Presently, now we have no remark to supply on this matter.”
The India-Bangladesh extradition treaty of 2013 consists of provisions beneath which an extradition request could be turned down beneath Article 6 of the treaty.
The interim authorities of Mr Yunus doesn’t symbolize your complete political spectrum of the nation and as soon as a democratically-elected authorities is in place, a legit demand may very well be thought of by New Delhi.
Cosy relationship
India has had a really cosy relationship with Ms Hasina over her 20-year rule.
Crowds have a good time the resignation of Ms Hasina in Dhaka final summer season. Pic: Reuters
A policeman goals his weapon at protesters throughout an imposed curfew on 5 August 2024. Pic: Reuters
Many in Bangladesh consider New Delhi performed a pivotal function in bringing her to energy in 2007, and allegedly helped her authoritarian rule over three phrases.
India has additionally been accused of turning a blind eye on problems with large-scale corruption, cronyism and human rights violations.
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New Delhi performed into Hasina’s narrative
The principle opposition – Khalida Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP) – was not as pleasant to India.
Then there’s the problem of conserving the Islamist get together, Jammat-e-Islami, at bay, which Ms Hasina had banned.
New Delhi performed into Ms Hasina’s narrative, “that if not her” then fundamentalists would take over Bangladesh in a delicate and restive northeastern area of India.
The worry blind-sided mandarins and the right-wing political management.
Protesters have a good time beside a defaced portrait of Ms Hasina on 5 August 2024. Pic: Reuters
Folks run previous a car set on hearth by protesters throughout a rally towards Ms Hasina on 4 August 2024. Pic: Reuters
New Delhi stored all its eggs in Hasina’s basket
India did not foster good relations with opposition political events and stored all its eggs in Ms Hasina’s basket.
An official from the Bangladesh excessive fee, who did not wish to be named, advised Sky Information: “There have been quite a lot of instances when former PM Khalida Zia and her BNP tried reaching out to New Delhi, particularly throughout her lengthy incarceration, solely to be rejected and unaccommodated by the political institution.
“It was finished to maintain Hasina on facet.”
Since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist authorities took over in 2014, this relationship has grown stronger.
Shut ties of the 2 nations
Each international locations share a 2,500-mile-long border, however greater than that, the nations are steeped in cultural, social and financial bonds.
There are greater than 13 million Hindus residing in Bangladesh, making up 8% of the inhabitants.
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In the course of the unrest and its aftermath, there was violence towards the neighborhood and quite a lot of Hindu temples had been focused by protesters.
A number of instances, Mr Modi’s authorities raised considerations concerning the security and safety of the minority Hindu neighborhood.
That is the second time that Ms Hasina has taken refuge in India.
After the bloodbath of 18 of her members of the family, together with her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, she, her husband and kids lived in New Delhi for six years till 1981.
There may be some uncertainty about her future in India, however New Delhi won’t be pressured into handing over the previous premier anytime quickly.
That is proven within the shelter and unwavering assist by India of the Dalai Lama since 1959, beneath great Chinese language stress.
New Delhi and Dhaka will get an impetus to reset their relationship when Mr Modi and Mr Yunus meet on the sidelines of a regional summit in Thailand in early April.
