Dhaka is trying to persuade New Delhi to allow the return of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, said Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain. He made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
When asked about Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent comment that Hasina’s return would depend on her own decision, Touhid Hossain replied, “Bangladesh has very little to do with it. India must agree to send her back. If Delhi does not agree, our options are limited.
“We can only try to convince them.”
Regarding the possibility of Sheikh Hasina being resettled in a third country, he added, “Bangladesh has very little to do with that either. We want her back.”
South Asia bloc proposal
Pakistan’s foreign minister recently proposed forming a South Asia bloc that excludes India. When asked about the idea, the adviser offered a lukewarm response.
“The grouping needs to be practical,” he said. “Is it possible for Nepal and Bhutan to join a group that excludes India? Theoretically, it may be possible for us, but not for Nepal and Bhutan because they lack access.”
He added that the Pakistani foreign minister had made a suggestion, and “there may be developments in the future,” but he was “not in a position to say anything right now.”
“I just heard it, and that’s it,” he said.
Human rights issues
After a United Nations (UN) report cited rights violations, there was speculation about possible new sanctions on Bangladeshi authorities.
Commenting on the issue, the adviser said he does not expect any new sanctions, arguing that complaints about rights abuses have decreased and highlighting significant improvements in the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) compared to 15 years ago.
According to him, the government is “100 per cent committed” to preventing human rights violations, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.
Addressing reports of extrajudicial killings during the interim government period, he said no official complaints had been received from development partners or human rights organisations.
The adviser noted that institutions such as RAB and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) have been mentioned in UN recommendations, but the government considers bodies like the DGFI essential, pointing out that “similar institutions exist in nearly every country.”
