India and Bangladesh signed an extradition treaty in 2013 to address the issue of fugitives from both countries hiding in the other. However, this treaty does not mean India is obligated to hand over Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh.
The treaty allows extradition to be denied if the crime is considered “political.” However, crimes like murder, enforced disappearance, and torture, for which Hasina has been accused, are not classified as political under the treaty.
In 2016, the treaty was updated to make the extradition process faster and simpler. The amendment removed the requirement for the requesting country to provide evidence of the crime when asking for extradition. India can choose to refuse Hasina’s extradition if it believes the accusations against her are not made “in good faith” or in the interest of justice. However, this decision could worsen relations between New Delhi and Dhaka.