Bangladesh urges South Africa to expedite process of deporting grenade attack accused

Bangladesh has requested South Africa to “expedite” the process of extraditing Maulana Tajuddin, a key accused in Aug 21 grenade attack case.

He is reportedly a fugitive in South Africa.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam brought the issue when he met South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Nomaindiya Mfeketo in Bali on Thursday on the sidelines of the IORA meeting.

The South African minister “reiterated her government’s willingness to cooperate in this regard,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The 2004 attack on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue killed 24 people and maimed or injured some 100 more. The BNP-Jamaat government was in power at that time.

Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the opposition in parliament, was stepping off the truck, which was being used as a dais, when the assailants hurled the grenades into the rally.

Among those killed in the blasts was Bangladesh Mohila Awami League president Ivy Rahman, wife of senior Awami League leader Zillur Rahman, who later became country’s president.

The attack left Sheikh Hasina with hearing problems.

The state minister led the ministerial meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association in Bali and on the sidelines also met Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, and Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi.

During his meeting with the South African minister, he also requested to “actively consider” opening up of South African resident diplomatic mission in Dhaka to enhance people-to-people exchanges.

During the meeting with Australian foreign minister, the foreign ministry said Alam thanked the Australian government for adjusting their air-cargo restrictions and adhering to uniform mileposts for aviation security.

He apprised the Australian minister that the government was doing “everything to secure the country, its economy and its guests from act of terrors and hoped that the Australian government would fully remove the air-cargo restrictions soon”.

Bishop appreciated the measures taken by the government to enhance the security situation saying that her government was also following up the situation.

The UAE minister, Maitha, thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for accepting the invitation for Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming ‘Expo-2020’ to be held in Dubai, which the UAE consider a “testimony of strong relationship” between the countries.