India agrees to extradite Shaheed Hadi murder case accused to Bangladesh

India has agreed to send back two accused arrested in connection with the murder of former spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, Shaheed Sharif Bin Osman Hadi, to Bangladesh, the Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement on Wednesday following high-level talks between the two countries' top diplomats in New Delhi.

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman held meetings with his Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar and Oil and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Puri during a three-day visit to the Indian capital that began on Wednesday. 

Prime Minister's foreign affairs adviser Humayun Kabir and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah were present during the discussions.

Dr. Khalilur Rahman thanked the Indian government for arresting the accused. Both sides agreed that the detained individuals would be returned to Bangladesh following procedures outlined in the existing bilateral extradition treaty.

Bangladesh also renewed its request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal, along with her former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

The Foreign Minister said the newly elected BNP government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would pursue its foreign policy based on a "Bangladesh First" principle grounded in mutual trust, respect, and shared benefit.

In a significant development for Bangladeshi citizens, Jaishankar indicated that Indian visa processes for Bangladeshis would be simplified in the coming weeks, particularly for medical and business travel, addressing a longstanding source of public frustration.

During his meeting with Energy Minister Puri, Dr. Khalilur Rahman expressed gratitude for India's recent diesel supply to Bangladesh and requested increased volumes of both diesel and fertilizer. Puri signaled that the Indian government would consider the request favorably, offering a potential lifeline as Bangladesh grapples with an ongoing fuel crisis that has caused widespread disruption.

Both sides emphasized the importance of advancing bilateral relations across multiple sectors and agreed to hold discussions on key outstanding issues in the near future.

The Foreign Minister is scheduled to depart New Delhi on Thursday afternoon for Mauritius, the next leg of his diplomatic tour.