Foreign Ministry to take steps to bring back Hasina

The Foreign Ministry is prepared to take all necessary steps to bring back former prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India and track down others wanted by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) who fled the country after August 5.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain made the statement during a media briefing on Thursday.

The ICT formally initiated judicial proceedings on Thursday, issuing an arrest warrant for Sheikh Hasina in connection with "mass killings" during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in July and August.

The tribunal ordered that Hasina must be produced before it by November 18.

She resigned and fled to India on August 5 amidst protest. The foreign adviser recently said they did not get any official information regarding her whereabouts, following rumours that she left India for the UAE.

On Thursday, however, he said, " Unofficially, I came to know she is in Delhi."

"We will try to return. Whatever is necessary, we will do," the adviser said, adding that after the court order it's police duty to arrest them. "But since she is not in the country, they [police] will seek our (foreign ministry) support. Then we will take measures."

The tribunal also issued warrants for the arrest of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and 44 others.

Many of them also left Bangladesh, according to media reports.

"We will try to locate them and take measures, " the adviser said when asked about their return.

ICT Prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud said two petitions had been submitted before the tribunal, the first for an arrest warrant for Hasina and the second for 45 others.

The tribunal had accepted the two petitions and asked for a report within November 18, he added.

So far more than 60 complaints of enforced disappearance, murder and mass killings have been filed at the International Crimes Tribunal against Hasina, other leaders of her Awami League party and the 14-party alliance, journalists and former top officials of law enforcement agencies.

On Sunday, Advocate Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor of the tribunal, informed the media that arrest warrants and travel bans would be sought against those accused in the July mass killings within this week.

He added that Interpol's assistance would be sought to bring back fugitives, including Hasina, who are currently abroad.