India extends Sheikh Hasina’s visa: Hindustan Times

India has extended the visa of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living there since last August, against the backdrop of growing calls in Dhaka for her extradition, reports Indian media outlet Hindustan Times, quoting people familiar with the matter.

The Hindustan Times report stated that the former prime minister’s visa was recently extended to facilitate her stay in the country, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

They also dismissed speculation about Hasina being granted asylum in India by pointing out that the country does not have a specific law for dealing with refugees and matters such as asylum.

The move to extend the visa involved the Union home ministry, which has to sign off on such matters, and was done through the local Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), the people said without providing details, the report added.

Sheikh Hasina on 5 August fled to India after stepping down amid student-people uprising.

The Hindustan Times report further said that the interim government in Dhaka led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus sought her extradition through a note verbale, an unsigned diplomatic correspondence, sent to the external affairs ministry on 23 December.