Through which papers is Sheikh Hasina living in India, for how long can she stay here?

Sheikh Hasina Residence Permit: Bangladesh’s deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by the International Criminal Tribunal in 2024 for the violent repression on students. The court is controlled by Sheikh Hasina’s political opponents who want to divert attention from her governance failures. Sheikh Hasina’s government fell in Bangladesh on 5 August 2024 after massive protests led by students. On the same day Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister and came to India.

India reacted with caution to Sheikh Hasina’s sentencing. It said in a statement that it is aware of the decision of the International Criminal Tribunal of Bangladesh. As a close neighbour, it is committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country. “We will always remain constructively engaged with all stakeholders on this matter,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. But nothing was said about Dhaka fulfilling its demand immediately after the sentencing for the extradition of the ousted Prime Minister, who lives in India.

What is the stand of the Indian government?
The government has not yet accepted the appeal for his extradition by the interim government. Nor has it made any commitments as to what it proposes to do about it. This has been the government’s stand since December last year when Dhaka officially demanded his extradition. And now any such request is unlikely to be fulfilled in a hurry. Because the dramatic death sentence awarded to Sheikh Hasina will not be of much help to India in changing the situation on the ground.

India gave residence permit to Hasina
Sheikh Hasina has a residence permit in India, which entitles her to stay for a long time. This situation continues even after their diplomatic passports have been canceled and the Government of India has officially allowed it. India technically extended their visa in January 2025, but according to reports, it is now functioning as a separate residence permit, distinct from the visa. Due to this, she is living in a secure government residence in Delhi, where there is complete security arrangement. India has clearly said that she can stay here for as long as she wants.

facility like political asylum
Bangladesh canceled his passport in December 2024, after which visa issues became irrelevant. However, India did not let this affect it and continued the residence permit. Bangladesh has demanded extradition several times, but India has not responded. According to experts, India’s extradition treaty provides for the right to refuse in cases involving political crimes or the death penalty. This arrangement (residence permit) gives Sheikh Hasina a facility like political asylum, although India does not formally call it ‘asylum’. The situation remains diplomatically sensitive.

No clarity on residence permit extension
In January 2025, there were reports that India had extended Sheikh Hasina’s visa. In some reports it was described as an expansion done on technical grounds. In some reports of January 2025, it was also told that she was living in India on residence permit since August last year. The final validity date or period of the visa/residence permit extension to January 2025 has not been made public. She has been continuously staying in India since coming from Bangladesh in August 2024. His current residence status depends on the Government of India’s decision on his extradition request.