‘Nothing to add at this point of time’

India yesterday said it does not have anything to add "at this point" to Bangladesh's interim government's request for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Asked at his weekly media briefing in New Delhi if there has been any response from India to Bangladesh's request for Hasina's extradition, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said "A week ago, I had confirmed that we have received a communication from Bangladesh authorities in respect of former PM Sheikh Hasina. I have nothing to add at this point of time."
Asked to comment on a Chattogram court's rejection of bail for arrested Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, Jaiswal said, "We expect a fair trial of the individual you mentioned."
To a question about reports that Bangladesh plans to buy battle tanks from a Turkish firm and if India sees a message in this, the MEA spokesman said, "We closely follow all security issues and take appropriate action accordingly."
Regarding ties with Dhaka, he referred to the press release issued by India after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to Dhaka on December 9 in which India's general approach to fostering ties with Bangladesh was outlined.
The approach, according to Jaiswal, is that India supports "a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. [The foreign secretary] reiterated India's willingness to build a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh, based on mutual trust and respect and mutual sensitivity to each other's concerns and interests. The foreign secretary emphasised that people are the main stakeholders in India-Bangladesh relations, and noted that India's development cooperation and multifaceted engagements with Bangladesh, including in the areas of connectivity, trade, power, energy and capacity building, are all geared towards the benefit of the people of Bangladesh."
Jaiswal gave the same answer when a journalist asked him about the decision to free Indian and Bangladeshi fishermen and on the issue of a move to replace the 1972 Constitution of Bangladesh.
To a question on India's crackdown on infiltration from Bangladesh in different states in the last few weeks, Jaiswal said, "Our security forces would obviously act if people take illegal routes to immigration."
Asked about reports of deportation of illegal Bangladeshiimmigrants in the last few days, he said he did not have any figure on the number right now but would get back later.
To a question about Washington Post's report that India had wanted a regime change in the Maldives following the coming to power of President Mohd Muizzu, Jaiswal reacted sharply, saying the newspaper's report appeared "to nurse a compulsive hostility towards India….I leave it to you to judge its credibility. As far as we are concerned, there is none."
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