'Cavalier, anti-India': Kanwal Sibal slams Bangladesh’s ‘political vendetta’ as Dhaka demands Hasina’s extradition
Sibal stressed that the India–Bangladesh extradition treaty contains a political-offence exception, under which Hasina’s case is clearly protected.
- Nov 17, 2025,
- Updated Nov 17, 2025 7:16 PM IST
Former Foreign Secretary of India Kanwal Sibal has sharply criticised the Bangladesh government after it issued a press statement demanding the immediate extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India. Hasina, who has been living in India since her ouster last year, was recently handed the death penalty in absentia by a Bangladesh tribunal over the violent anti-government protests that engulfed the country in August 2024.
Calling the current Bangladesh administration “Islamic, anti-India oriented and unelected,” Sibal said in a social media post that the Bangladesh government was “playing to the gallery” by attempting to escalate tensions with New Delhi.
He argued that Dhaka’s public demand for Hasina’s extradition—made even before formally approaching the Indian government with the tribunal’s judgment or supporting evidence—was a “cavalier way of dealing with a very serious issue.”
Sibal stressed that the India–Bangladesh extradition treaty contains a political-offence exception, under which Hasina’s case is clearly protected. “This is political vendetta,” he said, asserting that the request falls squarely within the treaty’s exemption clause.
The former diplomat also reminded that Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus had earlier stated in Washington that Hasina’s ouster was “meticulously planned,” adding further weight to concerns that the charges and subsequent death sentence may be politically motivated.
With Dhaka taking the unusual step of demanding extradition via public statement, rather than through formal diplomatic channels, Sibal warned that the intention appears to be to “add to tensions in bilateral relations” at a delicate moment for the region.
Read Kanwal Sibal's full post here
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has said that India has formally taken note of the verdict announced by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh against Hasina.
"As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country. We will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end," the MEA said.
Former Foreign Secretary of India Kanwal Sibal has sharply criticised the Bangladesh government after it issued a press statement demanding the immediate extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India. Hasina, who has been living in India since her ouster last year, was recently handed the death penalty in absentia by a Bangladesh tribunal over the violent anti-government protests that engulfed the country in August 2024.
Calling the current Bangladesh administration “Islamic, anti-India oriented and unelected,” Sibal said in a social media post that the Bangladesh government was “playing to the gallery” by attempting to escalate tensions with New Delhi.
He argued that Dhaka’s public demand for Hasina’s extradition—made even before formally approaching the Indian government with the tribunal’s judgment or supporting evidence—was a “cavalier way of dealing with a very serious issue.”
Sibal stressed that the India–Bangladesh extradition treaty contains a political-offence exception, under which Hasina’s case is clearly protected. “This is political vendetta,” he said, asserting that the request falls squarely within the treaty’s exemption clause.
The former diplomat also reminded that Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus had earlier stated in Washington that Hasina’s ouster was “meticulously planned,” adding further weight to concerns that the charges and subsequent death sentence may be politically motivated.
With Dhaka taking the unusual step of demanding extradition via public statement, rather than through formal diplomatic channels, Sibal warned that the intention appears to be to “add to tensions in bilateral relations” at a delicate moment for the region.
Read Kanwal Sibal's full post here
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has said that India has formally taken note of the verdict announced by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh against Hasina.
"As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country. We will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end," the MEA said.