Withdrawal of Interpol notice against Tarique irks police

Bangladesh Police have expressed their disappointment at the withdrawal of Interpol’s red notice against Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) exiled senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman.

During a meeting with Interpol high officials on Monday on the sidelines of a three-day conference at Sonargaon hotel in the capital, the police also sought the assistance of Interpol to bring back killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, apart from expressing the disappointment.   

Bangladesh Police in collaboration with Interpol have organised the three-day conference at the Sonargaon Hotel being participated by chiefs of police and other law enforcement agencies of 15 South Asian and neighbouring countries.

Briefing newsmen, inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque said the police have provided information about the killers of Bangabandhu to Interpol at different times.

“We’ve requested Interpol to take up the matter seriously and make necessary arrangements to arrest the killers by contacting the respective countries when we give them the relevant information,” said Shahidul.

The IGP said the Interpol secretary general, Jürgen Stock, who was in the meeting, has assured Bangladesh of taking up the matter seriously.

He said Bangladesh expressed its disappointment to the Interpol officials over the withdrawal of Red Notice issued against Tarique Rahman.

“We don’t see it positively when Interpol withdraws the Red Notice after its issuance against someone who is convicted by our highest court. Our government doesn’t take it positively. We’ve conveyed our concerns to the Interpol secretary general,” said the police boss.

He said the Interpol should be respectful of our higher courts and even its policy-making body Commission for the Control of Files (CCF).

“It must show respect for the verdict given by our higher court. If it doesn’t have that respect, we have some limitations,” said Shahidul.

Police officials said Bangladesh sent a message to Interpol on 11 February 2015 to issue a Red Notice against Tarique Rahman following his conviction in 21 August grenade attack case.

And accordingly, the Interpol published a Red Notice on its website on 13 April 2015, but it withdrew the notice on 28 January last year.

The IGP said the Interpol secretary general has shown interest to set up an office of Interpol in Dhaka.

Interpol is the intergovernmental organisation facilitating international police cooperation.