Kerry promised Bangladesh to look into the repatriation of Bangabandhu’s killer: Foreign ministry

US Secretary of State John Kerry has assured Bangladesh of looking into the issue of repatriating the Bangabandhu’s killer, the foreign ministry says.

The foreign ministry on Tuesday said the issue of repatriation of the “self-confessed” convicted killer of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the US was raised and discussed during his brief visit to Dhaka on Monday.
 
Secretary Kerry assured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that he would look into this matter after his return to Washington DC, it added.

The Bangabandhu was killed with much of his family on Aug 15, 1975. His daughters – Hasina and Sheikh Rehana – escaped the carnage as they were abroad.
 
Of the 12 convicts condemned to death in the murder case, five were hanged in 2010, one died abroad and while six others are fugitives from justice.
 
Of the six, M Rashed Chowdhury is living in the US and Noor Chowdhury in Canada. The government does not know where the other four -- Col Khandkar Abdur Rashid (retd), Lt Col Shariful Haque Dalim (retd), Abdul Mazed and Moslehuddin – are.
 
Last year, Bangladesh came to know that the US “affirmed an initial grant of asylum” to Rashed Chowdhury and his family. But Dhaka believes he can still be brought back to face justice.
 
Kerry, upon his arrival in Dhaka, had paid respect to the memory of the father of the nation at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.
 
He then met the prime minister and it was when, the foreign ministry said, he said he was moved by the “simplicity of lifestyle” of the Bangabandhu.
 
Kerry also recognised the “impressive” progress Bangladesh has made and vowed to stand by it in the fight against terrorism.