Political intent urgent for Hasina’s extradition
Meta is actively considering opening a physical office in Bangladesh, while Dhaka has urged India to expedite the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam saying both issues reflect the government’s push for greater accountability and stronger international engagement.
Speaking to reporters at the Foreign Ministry on Sunday following a high-level government delegation’s visit to the United States, Shama said she personally raised the proposal for a Meta office with the company’s executives during meetings in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.
“I personally requested that they open an office in Bangladesh, given that Bangladesh ranks as the eighth-largest user base for Facebook worldwide,” she said.
“Having a local presence would also allow us to address social media challenges more effectively and ensure greater accountability.
They responded positively and confirmed that the proposal is under active consideration.”
The delegation travelled to Silicon Valley after attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
It included Financial Adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Education Bobby Hajjaj, ICT Adviser Rehan Asad and officials from the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the two-day Silicon Valley visit, the delegation held more than 15 high-level meetings with executives from Google, Apple, Meta, Cisco, Nvidia and Plug and Play.
Shama said the visit was aimed at advancing the government’s vision of transforming Bangladesh into a technology-driven, innovation-led and AI-based economy.
“The core aim of our trip was to lay the foundation for transforming Bangladesh into a regional technology hub,” she said.
Asked whether Bangladesh could attract manufacturing facilities similar to those operated by major technology companies in China and Vietnam, she said discussions covered foreign direct investment, manufacturing facilities and the use of Bangladesh’s young talent to develop proprietary technologies.
“Nvidia specifically discussed joint efforts in AI,” she said.
She added that discussions also focused on direct foreign investment and establishing manufacturing units.
Shama cited Apple’s manufacturing operations in China as an example of the kind of high-tech industrial ecosystem Bangladesh could seek to develop.
“Just as we lead in the ready-made garment sector, we discussed how Bangladesh can scale up in other manufacturing sectors,” she said.
The government is also considering developing “Bangla AI” suited to Bangladesh’s socio-economic and cultural context, she said.
Shama dismisses rumours over PM’s US visit
Shama dismissed social media rumours that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had initially planned to travel to San Francisco but was prevented from leaving the UN area because of an FBI case or US visa restrictions.
“There was never any plan for the Prime Minister to visit San Francisco personally,” she said.
Instead, she said, the prime minister delegated a specialised team comprising the ICT adviser, state minister for education, financial adviser and herself to conduct targeted negotiations.
“That is precisely why Meta needs to set up an office in Bangladesh — to curb misinformation!” she said.
Shama said the government was still working on follow-up arrangements with the technology companies, including possible visits to Bangladesh and agreements.
‘Political intent equally crucial’ for Hasina extradition
On the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India, Shama said Dhaka expected New Delhi to expedite the ongoing process.
“While legal procedures must be respected, political intent is equally crucial,” she said.
“We expect the Indian government to expedite the ongoing extradition process to bring back the accused individuals as swiftly as possible.”
Asked whether Bangladesh could seek extradition under the existing Bangladesh-India Extradition Treaty, she said, “Absolutely.”
“It is entirely possible to extradite the accused under the framework of the treaty, and that legal process is actively being pursued,” she said.
Her comments came after Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi said the extradition process was ongoing and that no timeframe could be given as the matter involved legal procedures and the courts.
Trivedi also stressed the need for continuous dialogue, mutual respect and trust between Bangladesh and India to address outstanding bilateral issues.
Meanwhile, Shama confirmed that a visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Turkey is in the pipeline. She said the Foreign Ministry would officially announce the details and schedule of his upcoming foreign visits.
