Mon Jan 13 10:06:17 UTC 2025: ## India and Bangladesh in Diplomatic Row Over Border Fencing and Extradition Request

**DHAKA/NEW DELHI** – Diplomatic tensions are rising between India and Bangladesh following a series of events involving border fencing and an extradition request. The Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry summoned India’s High Commissioner, Pranay Verma, on Sunday over allegations that India is violating a bilateral agreement by constructing fences at five locations along their shared 4,156-kilometer border. Verma met with Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin, emphasizing existing understandings on border security and the cooperative efforts of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

In a reciprocal move, India’s Foreign Ministry summoned Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner, Nural Islam, to discuss the escalating situation. The tension is further exacerbated by a separate ongoing dispute: Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has requested India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is wanted on charges of massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity. India confirmed receiving the extradition request but offered no immediate comment. Hasina, who previously sought refuge in India following a student-led revolution that toppled her government, is scheduled to appear in court in November 2024. Several of her allies have already been detained in Bangladesh. Bangladesh also previously announced its intention to seek an Interpol red notice for fugitive leaders of Hasina’s regime. While India is an Interpol member, it maintains its own discretion on extradition matters. The current situation marks a significant challenge to the historically stable diplomatic ties between the two nations.

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