PM reiterates call for extraditing Nur Chowdhury from Canada

FT ONLINE

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her request for deportation of Nur Chowdhury, one of Bangabandhu’s convicted killers, as she held a meeting in Quebec with her Canadian counterpart Justine Trudeau on Sunday.

Bangladesh Prime Minister’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim said she called for Trudeau’s personal initiative for immediate extradition of the self-confessed killer, one of the two assassins who directly shot Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dead.

“Nur Chowdhury is a killer of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman . . . He is a self-confessed assassin and was convicted under the law of Bangladesh,” he quoted Sheikh Hasina as saying during the meeting with Trudeau.

In reply, Karim said, the Canadian Prime Minister expressed his compassion to Sheikh Hasina saying “I can understand how painful it is for you”.

Trudeau said relevant Canadian officials were quietly engaged in dealing with the issue, pointing out his country’s legal system about deportation of a person convicted with death penalty.

According to Karim, the Canadian Prime Minister simultaneously pointed out that Nur Chowdhury could not obtain citizen status in Canada and he was not a citizen of Canada.

The Press Secretary said the two leaders discussed other various matters related to mutual interests, particularly the issues including repatriation of displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar, while Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali accompanied Sheikh Hasina.

The Bangladesh Prime MInister expressed her gratitude to the Canadian government for the support and assistance extended to her government in the wake of Rohingya crisis.

She said Bangladesh was particularly thankful to the Global Affairs Canada, the Senate, House of Commons, and especially Canadian media for raising concerns about the ethnic cleansing and gross violation of human rights of the Rohingyas in Myanmar forcing their subsequent exodus.

Sheikh Hasina also pointed out that though Myanmar signed an agreement with Bangladesh promising to return the Rohingyas it remained silent raising a question over the implementation of the agreement, BSS reported.

She explained her government’s decision to relocate the tens of thousands of forcibly displaced foreign population to the offshore island of “Bhashanchar” for their own safety and benefits as their current makeshift abode on hilltops appeared highly vulnerable.

Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Najibur Rahman and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haq were present as well during the meeting at Le Petit Frontence, the Canadian Prime MInister’s residence.