Govt will issue travel pass for Tarique Rahman if he wants to return: Foreign Adviser

Foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain has said the interim government will issue a travel pass for BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman within a day if he wishes to return to Bangladesh. He said the government has no formal information regarding the status under which Tarique currently lives in London. He also noted that it would be unusual for any country to prevent him from returning home if he intended to do so.

He made the remarks on Sunday, November 30, at a session titled “Bangladesh’s foreign policy: defining a relevant role in a changing world”, organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh DCAB at the National Press Club.

Touhid Hossain said India is taking time to adapt to Bangladesh’s changed political landscape following the July uprising, but expressed hope that effective working relations between the two neighbours will soon return to normal.

Regarding former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, he said although it is believed that he is currently in India, there has been no formal communication from Delhi. No official discussion has yet taken place between the two countries about bringing him back.

Speaking about Sheikh Hasina, the adviser said relations between Dhaka and Delhi would not be affected even if India chooses not to return her. He added that, as a convict, Bangladesh expects to have her returned at the earliest.