Efforts to bring back former prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India are in motion, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been formally approached in this regard, said Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
“We have sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for extradition. The process is underway,” he said while speaking to journalists during an event at the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) headquarters in Pilkhana on Monday (23 December).
When pressed on the mechanism of her repatriation, he added, “We have a prisoner exchange treaty with India, and this will be executed under that agreement.”
Addressing concerns regarding the recent influx of Rohingyas, the adviser clarified, “It is not a matter of two months; rather, 60,000 Rohingyas have entered the country over the past one and a half to two years. We will not allow any further entry under any circumstances.”
Highlighting challenges at the Myanmar border, he explained, “The entire border area is now under the control of the Arakan Army. There is no formal communication possible with them, although unofficial discussions can take place. We are working towards resolving this issue at the earliest.”
On the repatriation process for Rohingyas, he remarked, “I cannot share detailed information at this moment. You may seek insights from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is more equipped to address this matter. The chief adviser has also appointed a specialist for this issue. We are making concerted efforts, and I am optimistic about achieving favourable outcomes in the future.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cited corruption as a contributing factor to the continued border crossings of Rohingyas.
When asked whether BGB personnel might be complicit in facilitating the entries, the adviser responded, “You need to visit the border to understand the situation. There is a war-like scenario there, as you are well aware of the prevailing conditions.”
