India said its approach to Bangladesh and the pending extradition request for Sheikh Hasina remained unchanged. The exchange has kept uncertainty over Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India at the centre of bilateral ties.
India on Tuesday reaffirmed its desire for positive and constructive relations with Bangladesh based on mutual interests and reciprocity, as Dhaka stepped up pressure on New Delhi to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The statement came amid uncertainty over a proposed visit to India by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. New Delhi said its invitation to Rahman remains open but offered no fresh update on when the visit could take place.
At the Ministry of External Affairs’ briefing, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position on relations with Bangladesh remained unchanged. New Delhi wants ties with Dhaka to be based on mutual interests and reciprocity, Jaiswal said.
“Our position on the press conference by the former PM needs no repetition,” Jaiswal said, referring to Hasina’s press interaction in New Delhi on August 5.
Asked about Bangladesh’s extradition request, Jaiswal also said India’s position on extradition requests remained unchanged.
“On the issue of extraditions, our consistent position has been that these requests are being examined as part of our established processes,” he said.
Bangladesh renewed its demand for India to expedite the extradition of the former Prime Minister. Dhaka has also sought the handover of people accused of killing July revolutionary Sharif Osman Bin Hadi.
NO FRESH UPDATE ON TARIQUE RAHMAN VISIT
On Rahman’s proposed visit, Jaiswal said there was no new development to announce.
“We have extended a cordial invitation for the prime minister of Bangladesh to visit India, and as and when I have an update or some development to share with you on this account, I will surely do so,” he said.
India has previously confirmed that it invited Rahman to visit, but no date has been announced. The uncertainty follows comments from Dhaka that the proposed trip requires a more favourable political environment between the two countries.
DHAKA LINKS VISIT TO EXTRADITION DEMANDS
Bangladesh said on Sunday that it was still waiting for what it described as a “conducive environment” for Rahman’s visit to India. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim said officials from Bangladesh and India had remained in contact for several weeks over the possibility of the visit.
He said, however, that the process had been affected by Hasina’s open press interaction in New Delhi on August 5.
“Officials of Bangladesh and India have been in touch with each other for several weeks on the possibility of a bilateral visit by Hon’ble Prime Minister Mr Tarique Rahman to India,” Karim said.
“However, this process was vitiated by the open press interaction in New Delhi on 5th August by Sheikh Hasina, who has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for committing crimes against humanity. We have made our position clear on this matter,” he added.