Published : 08 Sep 2026, 08:57 PM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:48 AM
The Prime Minister's Information Advisor Zahed Ur Rahman says the government wants to “apprehend and bring back” a death row fugitive, referring to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after she was ousted in a student-led mass uprising.
Addressing the former prime minister, he said: "Sheikh Hasina, you don't have to come back on your own. We want to arrest you. You are a fugitive, a death row fugitive."
Zahed made the remarks in response to a question at the weekly press conference organised at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
After Hasina was ousted on Aug 5, 2024, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death in her absentia on charges of crimes against humanity.
However, the Awami League president has announced her plan to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender to the court. Meanwhile, there is a ban in place on the activities of her aprty.
Hasina has no opportunity to appeal against the court verdict, said Zahed.
He said, “You have noticed that our chief prosecutor of the ICT has said that they have no chance to appeal now, that there is no time for her to come and appeal and ask for her trial to be reconsidered.”
“That means, technically, the situation is now this—she will come back and the death penalty is waiting for her. We want to apprehend her.”
Zahed said, “Some are wondering whether the government wants to bring Sheikh Hasina back. They say it doesn’t really want to, but is only saying such things to create pressure on India.
“We want to say one thing very clearly—as this has been stated as a condition for the prime minister’s visit to India, it must be taken seriously.”
Regarding Hasina's recent virtual press conference, the information advisor said: "Recently, she held a press conference, which we reacted very strongly to. Now she is talking to some media outlets, giving interviews to the established media in India. You can understand that this is unexpected.
"We had expected that the Indian government would not give her a chance to give a press conference or interview, at least until she was extradited. That is our expectation."
Zahed said that giving Hasina the chance to speak like this is “not right”.
He said, "She has fled there and is absconding, and we do not know her status, whether she can actually enjoy these rights or not - there is no clarification on these points. I think this is not right on their part. We want to bring her back, the demand for extradition is strong."
Urging the Indian government to keep Hasina quiet, he said: “Whether [Hasina] comes herself or we bring her—we want it to happen. There is no conspiracy in this.
“The Indian government could have taken at least one step to improve a relationship that has reached this point, and that is to keep her quiet. We will ask you for an answer to that.”
The information advisor said he viewed Dinesh Trivedi’s recent appointment as India’s high commissioner to Dhaka positively.
Addressing the media, he said: “I hope you will ask him about this. We have a sensitivity towards Sheikh Hasina. It is not just what she is saying - for example, I mentioned the Azmeri Haque Badhon – but not just her, even those who went before her – any one of us could be the victim of an attack.
“When these incidents are happening, seeing Sheikh Hasina speaking to the media makes us angry, they (India) should understand that.”
Zahed said, “The protest letter that we sent when Sheikh Hasina held the press conference stated that a proper environment is needed, an environment of trust. We have to be convinced that you actually want to engage with us properly.”
