India extends Hasina’s visa amid extradition call by Dhaka
Diplomatic Correspondent
India has extended the visa of Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh, who has been staying in the country since last August. The decision comes amid increasing demands in Dhaka for her extradition, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Hasina, 77, fled to India after stepping down amid nationwide protests. She has been incommunicado since she arrived at Hindon airbase on 5 August, though it is learnt that she has been moved to a safehouse in Delhi.
The interim government in Dhaka led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus sought her extradition through a note verbale, or unsigned diplomatic correspondence, sent to the external affairs ministry on 23 December.
The former premier’s visa was recently extended to facilitate her stay in the country, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. They dismissed speculation about Hasina being granted asylum in the country by pointing out that India doesn’t have a specific law for dealing with refugees and matters such as asylum.
The move to extend the visa involved the Union home ministry, which has to sign off on such matters, and was done through the local Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), the people said without providing details.
HT reported on January 3 that the Indian government is unlikely to respond to Bangladesh’s request to extradite Hasina, with people familiar with developments saying that Dhaka hasn’t completed key formalities necessary to take forward such an issue.
Source : Hindustan Times
