No positive response from India on Hasina’s repatriation: Touhid Hossain

Foreign adviser, Md Touhid Hossain has said Bangladesh had sent a letter to India requesting the return of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to face trial. However, there has been no positive response from India in this regard.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain said this while responding to a question from journalists at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital this evening, Monday.

When asked about the efforts to bring back Sheikh Hasina, Touhid Hossain said, “There is no new information on this. Bangladesh has requested India to return Sheikh Hasina to face trial. No positive response has come from India. Bangladesh is waiting. Meanwhile, the trial proceedings against Sheikh Hasina have already begun. The trial does not stop whether someone appears or not.”

In response to a question on whether international agencies would be engaged to bring Sheikh Hasina back to the country, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain said, “The government may seek assistance if it deems necessary. However, at this moment, I do not see any such need.”

“We have told India that we have taken back people after verifying their citizenship based on the list provided by them. Therefore, the return should be done through that process. Even then, India continues with push-ins, which is unfortunate. We are protesting against this matter,” Touhid Hossain said.

When asked what Bangladesh can do in this situation, he replied, “One undeniable fact is that we are certainly not going to wage a war over this. The only approach that remains is diplomatic dialogue. That is what we are pursuing. Though we are not seeing success at the moment, we hope success will come someday.”