Govt tells House panel Sheikh Hasina cannot engage in political activities from India

Bangladesh's interim government has informed an Indian parliamentary panel that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina is not allowed to engage in political activities while staying in India, following her recent remarks that she may return to Bangladesh by the end of this year.

On Thursday, Bangladesh Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman said Hasina is likely to be arrested immediately upon her return from India.

Responding to the issue, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told the panel that Dhaka's extradition request for Hasina is under examination by the competent Indian authorities in accordance with applicable laws and established procedures.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, observed that India's decision to host Hasina is guided by its "civilisational ethos and humanitarian tradition" of providing refuge to individuals facing grave distress or existential threats.

At the same time, the panel stressed that India has consistently upheld the principle that no political activities directed against another country should be carried out from its territory.

In its latest report, Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship, the committee recommended that the government continue its humanitarian and principled approach while handling such situations with due sensitivity.

The panel also called for the early restoration of normal visa processing for Bangladeshi citizens, warning that reduced visa issuance negatively affects public perception and bilateral relations. India resumed issuing tourist visas to Bangladeshi nationals on June 28, 2026, ending a two-year suspension imposed in July 2024 amid political unrest and security concerns.

With the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty due to expire this year, the committee urged New Delhi to begin renewal talks with Dhaka without further delay. It noted that discussions had yet to start despite the treaty's impending expiry and recommended that negotiations be based on updated hydrological data and climate change projections, while consulting the governments of West Bengal and Bihar.

The committee further urged the MEA to continue prioritising the protection of minorities in Bangladesh as a key component of its diplomatic engagement with Dhaka.