Little room for discussion: Bangladesh envoy on Hasina extradition row with India

Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah on Thursday said ties with New Delhi cannot move forward without “dignity, mutual trust and respect” amid Dhaka's persistent demand for the extradition of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Asked at the India Today BRICS Roundtable whether one person could hold the bilateral relationship “hostage”, Hamidullah said the concerns and sentiments of Bangladesh's people could not be ignored.

“If you hear the word dignity, mutual trust, respect and aspirations of people (are important). If these are not addressed and the sense of Bangladesh's demography is not understood, it would become difficult for any country to move. If you have trampled your rights or if I have literally brutalised things which have happened absolutely, there's little room for any other discussion,” he said.

The envoy's pointed remarks come a month after Hasina, living in exile in India, addressed a virtual press conference from Delhi. It was her first such media interaction since fleeing Bangladesh after students' protests in 2024. Her remarks triggered an angry reaction from Dhaka, which said the event undermined efforts to reset bilateral ties and renewed its demand for her extradition.

New Delhi had earlier said it had no role in what it called a "private event" and did not endorse the views expressed. It has maintained that Dhaka's extradition request was under examination through established processes.

TARIQUE RAHMAN SKIPS BRICS SUMMIT

When asked why Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman won't attend the BRICS Summit in Delhi on September 12 and 13, Hamidullah said there were “certain context and circumstances” behind the decision.

“It's been 6.5 months. We now have a democratically elected dispensation in Bangladesh. There's a certain context and circumstances which actually led to this decision for the PM not being able to come and join. That's the simplest of answers,” he said.

Asked whether diplomats had found it difficult to work towards Rahman's participation, Hamidullah quipped, “That's why diplomats are known as strange animals.”

Bangladesh has argued that India's invitation was extended to Rahman as the chair of BIMSTEC, rather than as Bangladesh's head of government. India, however, has said it invited Rahman to the BRICS outreach session as the current BIMSTEC chair, while also extending a separate invitation for a bilateral visit.

BANGLADESH OPEN TO REGIONAL GROUPINGS

Asked whether Bangladesh is open to joining BRICS as a full member, Hamidullah said Dhaka believed in “open regionalism” and remained engaged with regional and subregional frameworks.

“We are absolutely open. We started with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Then came the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) initiative and the South Asia Growth Quadrangle (SAGQ),” he said.

He said Bangladesh remained committed to SAARC, BIMSTEC and BBIN, arguing that the groupings should build on their respective strengths rather than work against one another.

BIMSTEC, BRICS AND 'COOPERATIVE COMPETITION'

On BIMSTEC's engagement with BRICS, Hamidullah described it as “cooperative competition”, saying there were complementarities and asymmetries, challenges and opportunities.

He said the priority should be to get the foundation right by finding an “optimum balance” between values and interests that brings countries together with dignity, mutual respect, safety and shared benefits.

The envoy said BIMSTEC, founded in 1997, came 12 years before SAARC and was designed in part to connect South Asia with Southeast Asia, with greater emphasis on project-oriented cooperation.

He said the different regional frameworks should not simply compete but should harness their respective strengths and synergies.

'ASPIRATION KEY TO INDIA-BANGLADESH TIES'

Hamidullah said “aspiration” was the key word in understanding India-Bangladesh ties, arguing that both countries needed to create pathways for their people to fulfil those aspirations.

He described the relationship as “very organic”, pointing to the social, cultural and economic interaction between the two peoples.

“There shouldn't be any inhibition that should cloud our minds,” he said, calling for a careful mix of cooperation and collaboration.

'GLOBAL SOUTH IS NOT A MONOLITH'

On the Global South, Hamidullah said it could not be treated as a monolith because countries have different economic, political and geopolitical interests.

He said groupings such as the G77 and the Non-Aligned Movement had earlier provided a common platform, but “there is a vacuum right now”.

Hamidullah also backed the participation of regional and subregional organisations in major summits, saying BIMSTEC's invitation to BRICS was a welcome development.