Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has raised the issue of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s extradition with India, urging New Delhi to expedite the process and stressing Dhaka’s hope for a favourable response.

Rahman discussed the matter on Monday during a meeting with India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi. The meeting also covered a range of bilateral issues, including the future direction of Bangladesh-India relations.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who was present at the meeting, said Dhaka expects all countries to respect the country’s state institutions. He indicated that Bangladesh believes India has understood its concerns regarding recent developments involving Sheikh Hasina.

The Prime Minister also cautioned against actions that could negatively affect bilateral relations. The remarks came days after Hasina took part in a virtual news conference from New Delhi, where she spoke about Bangladesh’s political situation and her plans to return to the country.

Khalilur Rahman said Dhaka considers the August 5 media appearance particularly sensitive because of Hasina’s comments regarding Bangladesh’s judiciary. He said Bangladesh hopes such an incident will not be repeated.

The issue of extradition has remained a major point of tension between Dhaka and New Delhi since Hasina left Bangladesh in August 2024 following the fall of her government. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her return, while India has said the request is being examined through its legal and judicial procedures.

During Monday’s meeting, Bangladesh also requested India to hand over suspects accused of involvement in the killing of Osman Hadi. According to the report, West Bengal Police arrested two Bangladeshis in March in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, the meeting is being viewed as part of broader efforts to improve strained Bangladesh-India relations. India’s High Commission said Dinesh Trivedi conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to Tarique Rahman and expressed New Delhi’s intention to work with Bangladesh in a “positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.”

The diplomatic engagement comes at a sensitive time, with Dhaka seeking progress on the extradition issue while both sides appear keen to prevent political disagreements from further damaging bilateral ties.