India extends visa of ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina amid extradition demand from Dhaka

Amid calls for extradition from Dhaka, India has extended the visa of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina, Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister, is under mounting legal pressure after the country's interim government revoked her passport and issued arrest warrants for alleged crimes during her tenure.

Hasina, 77, ruled Bangladesh for 15 years until August 2024, when a massive uprising led by students toppled her Awami League (AL) regime. The protests, which saw hundreds killed and thousands injured, culminated in demonstrators storming her palace in Dhaka. On August 5, Hasina fled Bangladesh via helicopter, seeking refuge in India, where she has been living since.

Facing allegations and legal action

The current administration in Dhaka has accused Hasina of corruption and embezzlement, with investigations extending to her family members settled abroad. On January 7, Bangladesh's interim government announced it had revoked Hasina's passport along with those of 96 others, citing their alleged roles in enforced disappearances and July killings.

The Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina, several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and senior military and civil officials, accusing them of crimes against humanity and genocide.