India has extended the visa of ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India amid the student-led mass uprising and has been staying there since August 5, but kept mum over Dhaka鈥檚 request for her extradition, according to an Indian media report.
鈥楴ew Delhi [India] has extended the visa of deposed Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in the country since last August,鈥� Hindustan Times reported on Wednesday citing anonymous sources.
It mentioned that people familiar with the matter said this against the backdrop of growing calls in Dhaka for the extradition of Hasina, now wanted by the International Crimes Tribunal for her alleged involvement in genocide during the July uprising and enforced disappearances during her 15-year tenure.
Hasina, 77, has been incommunicado since she arrived at Hindon airbase on August 5, though it is learnt that she has been moved to a safehouse in Delhi, said the report available online
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 December 23, the report mentioned.
Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 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鈥檛 have a specific law for dealing with refugees and matters such as asylum.
Asked about Delhi鈥檚 move to facilitate Hasina鈥檚 stay in India, Bangladesh foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain told reporters at the ministry on Wednesday that he had seen the media report.
About Bangladesh鈥檚 request to extradite the deposed prime minister, he, however, said that they were yet to receive any reply from India.
Meanwhile, the chief adviser鈥檚 press wing on Tuesday said in Dhaka that the Department of Immigration and Passports had cancelled the passports of 97 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina, over their alleged involvement in killings during the July-August mass uprising and enforced disappearances.
Sheikh Hasina was carrying a valid diplomatic passport while fleeing to India, according to DIP officials.
