Hours after Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman recorded a historic win in the 2026 elections on Friday, the party has urged India to send ousted PM Sheikh Hasina to Dhaka to stand trial.
According to senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, Dhaka's foreign minister is already engaged in renewed efforts to extradite the former PM, who had fled to India after student-led protests in 2024.
“The foreign minister has already pursued the matter of her extradition, and we support it,” Ahmed said, as per a PTI report.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party has won the general election after two decades.Tarique Rahman led the party’s campaign following his return from exile.This was the first national vote after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in 2024.
— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) February 13, 2026
(Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Tarique Rahman, Sheikh… pic.twitter.com/fr0jvfNEMM
“We have consistently pressed for her extradition in accordance with the law. This is an issue between the foreign ministries of the two countries. We have also urged the government of India to send her back to face trial in Bangladesh,” he added.
He also reiterated the importance of a "friendly relationship ... with neighbouring countries, including India".
This comes a day after Hasina attacked the Bangladesh elections in an X post from the Awami League, calling the polls a "well-planned farce".
Gratitude from the People’s Leader Sheikh Hasina to All Citizens, Including Mothers, Sisters, and Minority Communities, for Rejecting the Farcical Election of the Murderous-Fascist Yunus
— Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) February 12, 2026
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Today’s so-called election by Yunus, who seized power illegally and unconstitutionally,… pic.twitter.com/bPmR2z5Fc1
The post also put forth a number of demands, such as the resignation of "murderous-fascist" Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, allowing Awami League to contest the polls again, and fresh polls in the country.
Notably, India last received a request for Hasina's extradition just a few months ago.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had confirmed on November 26 that New Delhi had received a letter from Dhaka about the deposed leader's extradition for trial.
"The request is being examined ... We remain committed to the people of Bangladesh ... We will continue to engage constructively in this regard with all the stakeholders," Jaiswal had said during a media briefing.
Back on November 17, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) had even sentenced the 78-year-old leader to death on charges of committing “crimes against humanity” after conducting her trial in absentia.
