Staff Reporter :
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain reiterated that India has yet to offer a positive response to Dhaka’s formal request to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was recently sentenced to death for crimes against humanity.
Speaking to reporters at Rangpur Circuit House on Friday morning, he said New Delhi is still examining Dhaka’s letter.
“Sheikh Hasina is a convicted fugitive under the verdict of a Bangladeshi court. We have asked India to return her. But we haven’t received a positive reaction from India yet.
These matters don’t get resolved overnight. What we’ve seen from India so far is that they are scrutinising the issue,” he said.
On 17 November, the International Crimes Tribunal handed down the death penalty to the ousted prime minister and her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising. Both have been in India since their removal from power.
Responding to a question about BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, the adviser said he had no information on when he might return to Bangladesh.
“His wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, has already arrived in Dhaka,” he added.
He also confirmed that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia would not be flown to London on Friday due to a technical issue with the aircraft.
Touhid Hossain also addressed the recent abduction of Bangladeshi fishermen by Myanmar’s Arakan Army, noting that the group is not a recognised state actor and therefore cannot be engaged through formal bilateral channels.
“Since our interests are involved, the matter has to be dealt with.
Not everything can be disclosed, but steps are being taken to prevent such incidents,” he said.
He added that the government is shifting a planned Chinese-funded 1,000-bed hospital from Dhaka to Nilphamari, designed to serve people from Rangpur as well as neighbouring countries including India and Bhutan.
He noted that Rangpur lacks industries and job opportunities, and said the government is focused on generating employment and ensuring balanced regional development.
Talking about government’s reform initiatives and election, he said, “We want to hand over the country to elected representatives in a way that helps them take Bangladesh to its desired destination within a year or so.
People expect us to carry out all reforms, but that takes time. The next government must reflect the will of the people.”
Touhid Hossain reiterated his hope that future governments would ensure equality and balanced progress across all regions.
The adviser is on a four-day visit to the northern region of Bangladesh. On Friday he toured key sites in Rangpur and will meet local administration officials on Saturday morning before visiting Rangpur Cadet College in the afternoon.
On Sunday, he will hold a discussion with teachers and students at Magura High School in Nilphamari’s Kishoreganj before flying back to Dhaka from Syedpur Airport.
Meanwhile, Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary to the Chief Adviser, on Friday said that those involved in the killings, including Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, will be brought back to the country and the verdict will be executed swiftly.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inaugurating an inter-district college football tournament in Magura in the morning.
On the issue of the election, Shafiqul Alam said, the national election will be held by 15 February, and no one will be able to obstruct it.
