India's political and diplomatic effort is needed to bring Sheikh Hasina back home: Shama

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam believes that India's political and diplomatic effort is crucial to bring former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back home. She said this while facing reporters at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

The state minister said that the government is repeatedly contacting and writing to India about the accused including Sheikh Hasina who have been tried or need to be tried in Bangladesh. She expects that India will respond to these letters and expedite the process of returning them through diplomatic channels.

Shama Obaed believed that there will be no tension between India and Bangladesh over the Sheikh Hasina issue. She said that the relationship between the two countries will remain in its own place, because the relationship between any two countries is multidimensional.

Referring to the recent visit of a Bangladeshi adviser to India at a BIMSTEC meeting, she said that exchanges and dialogue between the two countries are part of the ongoing process and will continue. However, she commented that the issue of justice is very important for the people, democracy and history of Bangladesh.

Referring to the month of July, the State Minister said that a settlement is needed for the families of those who gave blood, lost their lives or were injured. Those families want to see those who killed or injured their children brought to justice. Taking everything into account, the government is sincerely trying and is trying to move the process forward as quickly as possible, he said.

In response to a question, the State Minister said that Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh for India after the July uprising. This demand is becoming stronger in this July that the people of the country want to see those who have been sentenced brought back to their country and the sentence implemented on Bangladeshi soil.

Regarding the legal process, Shama Obaed said that the Law Minister and the Home Minister, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have explained the matter several times. Since Sheikh Hasina has already been sentenced, she has no legal opportunity to surrender. She said that whenever Sheikh Hasina comes to Bangladesh, she will be arrested according to the law.

Regarding the process of Sheikh Hasina's return to Bangladesh, the State Minister said that communication has started from the interim stage as per the existing extradition agreement. She mentioned as an example that some other accused like Sheikh Hasina—such as those accused of Hadi's assassination—are still in India, and specific legal rules and diplomatic protocols will be followed in their extradition. Sheikh Hasina will probably return following these two processes and will be arrested immediately upon her return, she said.

Asked whether Sheikh Hasina will be given travel documents if she wants to return to the country, the State Minister said that passport or visa-related matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, so only they can give a good answer on this matter. However, in general, he believes that this process is not possible without the support of the Indian government.

She said that if the Indian government speeds up the process as per the extradition agreement and speeds up the diplomatic channels, then the necessary documents will be prepared accordingly. A travel document with a photograph, which can be provided by either the Indian government or the Bangladesh government, is usually sufficient to travel from one country to another. The State Minister commented that the Ministry of Home Affairs would be best placed to provide details on this matter.