A recent survey conducted by India’s prominent media outlet India Today reveals that 55% of respondents from the eight northeastern states of India support sending former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh, citing the need to improve bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh.
India Today, a leading news media in India, regularly conducts opinion polls on a variety of national issues, including politics, economics, diplomacy, and foreign policy. In February 2025, a unique survey titled India Today Mode of the North-East was conducted among the citizens of the eight northeastern states of India, focusing on public opinion regarding the asylum granted to Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, by the Indian government.
The survey specifically asked participants for their views on whether Hasina should remain in India or be sent back to Bangladesh. Respondents were provided with three main options:
- “She is an ally of India, and it is right to provide her asylum” – 23% of respondents supported this view.
- “For the sake of improving India-Bangladesh relations, she should be sent back to Bangladesh” – 55% of respondents favored this opinion.
- “She should not be sent back to Bangladesh but could be directed to another country” – 16% supported this alternative, while 29.1% opposed it.
The most notable finding of the survey is that 55% of the people in the northeastern region of India believe Sheikh Hasina should be sent back to Bangladesh to foster better diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted from power in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, following a student-led uprising, sought refuge in India. This marked the end of a 16-year-long oppressive rule in Bangladesh. She is now facing charges of crimes against humanity, with an arrest warrant issued by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal. The Bangladesh interim government has requested her extradition under the existing bilateral agreement with India, and there have been ongoing protests and speeches from Hasina in India that have raised concerns within the Bangladesh government.
Liberty News’ international correspondent states this survey reflects the mixed public opinion in India’s northeastern region regarding Hasina’s continued stay, with a significant portion of people advocating for her return to Bangladesh to help stabilize the relationship between the two countries.
LND/BAIZID
