India has told Bangladesh that it will not extradite ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and has urged Dhaka to ensure her safety and medical care if she returns home and is arrested, Indian newspaper Anandabazar reported.

A high-level Indian intelligence delegation visited Dhaka about a month ago and met senior Bangladeshi officials, according to a report by Anirban Dasgupta published in Anandabazar on September 7. 

The delegation conveyed New Delhi’s position on Hasina’s possible return, saying she should not be subjected to “disrespectful treatment” and that special attention should be paid to her security if she is detained, the newspaper reported.

India also urged authorities to ensure adequate medical care for the ousted Awami League leader.

The delegation, according to the report, told Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s administration “emphatically” that India would not extradite Hasina under any circumstances. 

Anandabazar said Hasina, who has repeatedly indicated that she wants to return to Bangladesh by December, is eager to go back, although Indian intelligence officials believe the Awami League has yet to work out how she would return. 

The report also claimed Indian intelligence agencies were concerned about the presence of around six suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba members in Bangladesh, four of whom were allegedly previously active in Kashmir. 

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