State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today said ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has no legal scope to surrender and would be arrested immediately upon her return to Bangladesh. She stressed that her repatriation requires India’s political and diplomatic cooperation. "Since a sentence has already been passed, an accused person no longer has any legal opportunity to surrender. Therefore, whenever she returns to Bangladesh, she will be arrested. That is what the law requires," the state minister told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon.
India’s Role in Repatriation
Shama said Bangladesh has repeatedly communicated with the Indian authorities, seeking the return of Sheikh Hasina and other accused persons staying there who have either been convicted or are facing trial in Bangladesh. "We hope that India will respond to our repeated communications and letters regarding Sheikh Hasina and other accused persons who are currently there and who have either been convicted or are facing trial in Bangladesh. We expect them to expedite the process through diplomatic channels and facilitate their return," she said.
Bilateral Relations
The state minister said the issue of Sheikh Hasina should not be viewed as an obstacle to Bangladesh’s bilateral relations with India. "I do not think the Sheikh Hasina issue will disrupt relations between Bangladesh and India. Bilateral relations will remain in place, and relations between two countries are always multidimensional," she said. Shama said bilateral exchanges and dialogue between the two neighbouring countries would continue, referring to Bangladesh’s participation in the ongoing BIMSTEC process.
Referring to the July mass uprising, Shama said the families of those who lost their loved ones or suffered injuries deserve justice. "In this month of July, it must be said that those who shed blood, those who were killed, those who are still suffering from injuries, and their families deserve closure. They also want to see those who killed or injured their sons and daughters brought to justice. The Bangladesh government is sincerely trying to ensure this process is expedited as quickly as possible," she said.
Replying to another question, the state minister said Sheikh Hasina fled to India following the July mass uprising and that public demand for her return had intensified during the month of July. "As July is being observed, the demand has become stronger that those who have already been convicted should be brought back so that the people of Bangladesh can witness the enforcement of their sentences on Bangladeshi soil," she said.
Asked whether Sheikh Hasina would require travel documents to return, the state minister said passport and visa-related matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs. "The Home Ministry would be in a better position to explain what kind of travel documents would be required. But my general understanding is that this would certainly require the cooperation of the Government of India," she said. She added that India has an important role to play in implementing the extradition process.
