Focus Should Be on Sheikh Hasina's Extradition, Not Passport or Visa: Rizvi at Press Club

Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said the discussion should be about the extradition of fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, rather than her passport, visa or national identity card. Rizvi is the BNP's acting secretary general and an adviser to the prime minister.

He made the remarks on Friday (13 November) as chief guest at a discussion meeting at the National Press Club, organised by the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal to mark '7 November National Revolution and Solidarity Day'.

Rizvi said return and extradition are not the same thing. When a criminal case, a sentence or a judicial process is ongoing against someone, the question of their extradition comes to the fore. Cases are pending against Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh and she has been sentenced in various cases, he said, so she must be brought back to the country through legal process and placed under trial.

He said Bangladesh has an extradition treaty with India. Under that treaty, Sheikh Hasina must be brought back to face trial, he said, adding that there is no question of welcoming her with roses.

Rizvi said Sheikh Hasina is involved in the killings of Abu Sayeed, Mugdho, Wasim Akram of Chattogram and countless students and members of the public. Around 1,400 students, rickshaw-pullers and ordinary people lost their lives in the 2024 movement, he said, noting that cases over those incidents are ongoing against her.

Highlighting the significance of 7 November, Rizvi said the day is important in the history of protecting Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty. Through that day, the path was created for multiparty democracy, freedom of the press, the right to speak and political freedom in the country. Multiparty democracy began in the country under the leadership of martyred president Ziaur Rahman, he said.

He also said a nine-year movement was waged against Ershad's military rule under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia. Through that movement, democracy was restored in 1990. Later, misrule was established during Sheikh Hasina's 17 years in power, he commented.

Rizvi said Tarique Rahman led the party from London and united people across the country through technology. In continuation of that, the mass uprising took place in July 2024, when students, workers, rickshaw-pullers and people from all walks of life took to the streets and ended the rule, he said.

Addressing Mahila Dal leaders and activists, he said they had waged a political movement for democracy for 17 long years. Now a social movement must be built for women's empowerment, he said, calling for initiatives for women's education, employment and economic self-reliance, and for a social movement against child marriage.

Rizvi said Begum Khaleda Zia had made girls' education free up to higher secondary level. The current prime minister has announced free education up to honours level, he said, and an initiative has been taken to give collateral-free loans of 10 lakh taka to women entrepreneurs. These initiatives will play a role in women's economic empowerment, he said.

The meeting was chaired by Afroza Abbas, president of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, and was also addressed by central leaders including the organisation's general secretary Sultana Ahmed MP.