Govt wants to ensure justice by returning Hasina: Zahed

Prime Minister's Information Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday said the government wants to ensure justice through trial by bringing death-row convict Sheikh Hasina back to the country.

"The government is determined bringing Sheikh Hasina to justice. Her trial process will continue in a transparent manner. The people of this country want the death penalty given to her for her crime to be upheld. At the same time, a formal request has already been sent to India for her extradition," he said.

The information adviser made the remarks responding to a question at the weekly regular press briefing at the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) at the Secretariat in the morning.

Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Riasat Al Wasif were present at the briefing.

Clarifying the government's position on Sheikh Hasina's extradition and trial process, Zahed Ur Rahman said the government is not thinking about any political or geopolitical pressure.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have already confirmed that India has been formally requested to extradite Sheikh Hasina for trial, he said, adding “We welcome her because we want to ensure justice in this country."

He also said the country’s people want to see the crime that Sheikh Hasina committed be tried and the death sentence that has already been given to her be upheld and implemented.

The adviser said during the interim government, the ICT Act was reformed according to very modern and global standards.

If Sheikh Hasina wants, she will get the opportunity to defend herself by bringing the best foreign lawyers in the world, he said.

Dr Zahed said there is also an opportunity to have foreign observers and record the entire trial process with video cameras.

“All processes will be conducted through a completely transparent trial. However, if Sheikh Hasina can prove herself innocent in court, that she is not a criminal - in that case, the court can also give any other order.

That is why I am saying that the government wants to give justice to a person who destroyed the state. Justice has to be ensured in this way,” he said.

Regarding the court's ban on the dissemination of Sheikh Hasina's statements through the media and social media, Dr Zahed said this restriction is not an executive order or a government decision but a court directive.

As the executive body responsible for running the state and enforcing the law, the government's responsibility is to implement this court directive, he said. 

The information adviser said if any political party or media worker feels that their rights are being violated by this order, they can go to court and challenge it.

"If the court lifts the ban, everyone will have to obey the laws of the state," he added.