Govt to take initiative for talks with India to bring back Sheikh Hasina: adviser Zahed Ur Rahman

The government has said it will take the initiative to hold talks with India on bringing back ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to the country. Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, the Prime Minister's adviser on information and broadcasting, said the government has no objection if she wishes to return voluntarily, and that the necessary process to bring her back would also be followed.

He made the remarks on Tuesday (3 November) at a weekly press briefing on the government's various activities and achievements, held in the conference room of the Department of Information. He explained the government's position in response to journalists' questions.

Asked about Sheikh Hasina's return to the country and the withdrawal of the ban imposed on her passport, the adviser said the government has no intention of preventing her from coming to the country. The government wants her to return. If she returns voluntarily, measures will be taken accordingly. And if an initiative is needed to bring her back, the relevant formal process, including talks with India, will be followed.

Asked whether the government would issue Sheikh Hasina a travel pass if she applied for one, Zahed Ur Rahman said that despite being sentenced to death she is a citizen of Bangladesh. If she applies to return home, a decision will be taken considering the circumstances of that time and the relevant matters. However, he said it is not possible to announce a final decision on this before such a situation arises.

The adviser also set out the government's position regarding the allegations of violence and sabotage against Sheikh Hasina. He said these allegations should not be conflated with the old practice of shifting blame onto political opponents. There must be a fundamental difference between the activities of an authoritarian rule and a democratic government. Any information presented before the public must have a proper basis; if baseless information is given, the government itself must bear the responsibility. He said the government's statements are published because they have the necessary basis behind them.

At the same briefing, the adviser also spoke about fuel prices. He said that when fuel prices rise, the cost of living for ordinary people also rises. Although the government realises this, it is becoming difficult to bear the pressure of extra spending to buy fuel from the international market. The government's financial capacity to keep prices under control through subsidies is also becoming limited.

Zahed Ur Rahman said there is a plan to provide Tk 48,000 crore in subsidies in the power and fuel sector in the current fiscal year. But Tk 24,000 crore has already been spent in the first two and a half months of the fiscal year — meaning half of the subsidy planned for the whole year has already been used up.

Explaining the reason for the rise in fuel import costs, he compared LNG prices. Each unit of LNG now costs more than 30 dollars to buy. Yet from 2021 to 2025, LNG was bought at a maximum of 14 dollars. Because of this gap in prices on the international market, the government's spending on fuel imports has increased.

The adviser said that if such extra subsidies continue in the fuel sector, the government will have to depend on loans. Borrowing from banks will create pressure on the economy. And if the money supply is increased anew, inflation may rise. As a result, the government has to consider both sides — the pressure of fuel price rises on ordinary people and the financial limits of continuing subsidies.

He said that in determining fuel prices, not only the international market situation but also the country's foreign currency reserves, economic capacity and overall financial situation have to be considered. If subsidy spending keeps rising, it may also affect other areas of the economy.

At the press briefing, the Prime Minister's information and broadcasting adviser also answered various other questions from journalists about the government's activities, achievements and the economic situation. Syed Abdal Ahmad, Chief Information Officer of the Department of Information, was present at the time.