Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday called upon the expatriate Bangladeshis living in Canada and the USA to mobilise public opinion for the extradition of convicted killers of Bangabandhu from the two countries.
“I’m leaving a demand before you to write letters to pubic representatives of those countries where you’re residing and ask why those countries would give shelter to the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she said.The Prime Minister said this while addressing a reception accorded to her at Centre Mont-Royal here by expatriate Bangladesh nationals.
Canada unit president of Awami League Golam Mohammad Mahmud Mia presided over the function conducted by its general secretary Azizur Rahman Prince.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and AL Office Secretary and PM’s Special Assistant Abdus Sobhan Golap were present at the dais.
“So far the government knows that one convicted killer of Bangabandhu is hiding in the USA, one in Canada, two in Pakistan while two others remained traceless. How a civilised country could give shelter to a convicted killer?” she said. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh government has already asked the US and Canada why they are nurturing and giving shelter to the killers.
She said it has been mentioned in the Canadian constitution that the country will not deport anybody if death sentence order is given against him or her. “What type of provision it is?” she questioned.
Hasina said the killers of Bangabandhu are the citizens of Bangladesh and their punishment will be done as per the law of the country. “Why are efforts being made to save the killers?”
She said why the countries will give shelter to those who had committed crimes like murder. It could be a different matter if the killers were their citizens. “If they want to give shelter to the killers, then all murderers will seek shelter from those countries.”
Hasina said it means that the countries without having the provision of death sentence would be a safe haven for killers!
She said her government has been working to bring back the fugitive killers of Bangabandhu since 1996. “Our efforts will continue to execute the court verdict against the killers by bringing them back home.”
In a bilateral meeting between the prime ministers of Bangladesh and Canada on Friday, both countries agreed to find out a solution about the extradition of the self-confessed killer of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman living in Canada, Noor Chowdhury, through discussions.
About the trials of war criminals, she said the government faced obstructions and she received many telephone calls from big places during the trials and execution of verdicts against the culprits who had killed three million people and violated two lakh mothers and sisters during the War of Liberation.
“I replied our judiciary is independent, and there are laws in our country and verdicts would be implemented as per the laws,” she said.