Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Mohammad Rafiqul Alam today spoke at the weekly media briefing. Photo: MoFA

DHAKA, Jan 9, 2025 (BSS) - The status of ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in India is irrelevant to her repatriation request, said foreign ministry’s spokesperson here today.

“The status of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has no bearing on our request for her return. Her status is not a matter of our consideration,” said Spokesperson Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, who also serves as Director General of the Public Diplomacy Wing, during a weekly media briefing at the ministry.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi sent a diplomatic note to India’s Ministry of External Affairs last December under the bilateral extradition treaty, seeking Hasina’s return. India has yet to respond to the note.

“We have formally requested her return and are awaiting India’s response. There are no rigid rules governing such processes,” Alam said, adding that further steps would depend on New Delhi’s reply.

Hasina fled to India following the mass uprising on August 5 last year and has remained there.

The Bangladesh government has canceled her passport, raising questions about her legal status in India.

While Indian media have reported that her visa has been extended, Alam clarified that in general, when a Bangladeshi citizen's passport is canceled, the respective foreign government is notified through Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions.
In such cases, a visa is no longer required, he added.

Ousted Sheikh Hasina is accused of crimes against humanity at the International Crimes Tribunal, including killings during the July uprising, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings over the past 16 years.

The tribunal has issued arrest warrants against Hasina and 11 others in connection with cases of enforced disappearances, directing authorities to ensure their arrest and appearance in court by February 12.