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Published : 14 Jul 2026, 03:50 PM
Prime Minister's Information Advisor Zahed Ur Rahman has said Sheikh Hasina is free to bring the "best lawyer in the world" to defend her at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), should she return to face trial.
Speaking at the weekly briefing on government activities at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room in the Secretariat on Tuesday, he was asked how the government viewed her potential return.
"Since we're making efforts for her to come, if she does come, we'll welcome her. From the start, we've been saying we'll welcome her, and some people take that one line out of context to claim we're rolling out the red carpet for her.”
"We've said before, and I'll say it again, we want to ensure justice for her. She's been sentenced to death. If she comes, if we can bring her back through extradition, that's exactly what we're trying to do," he said.
He said if He said if Hasina returns from India through bilateral contact between the two governments, that would be fine.
"She'll face the case. There's scope now to bring in foreign lawyers for the case at the ICT. Let her bring the best lawyer in the world. Let them try to defend her.
"Observers can be present there, video cameras can be kept there, the ICT law has been made this modern during the interim period, so the entire process will run through a transparent trial.”
“What the people of this country want is for the death sentence over the crimes she's committed to stand. People also want to see that death sentence carried out,” he added.
Zahed reiterated that if she can prove her innocence, or if the court decides on an alternative sentence or acquittal, the administration will abide by it as that is how justice must function.
“That's how justice has to work. We welcome this because we want to ensure justice. Even the person we believe has done the most to destroy this state, we want to give her justice too.”
He said he did not believe Hasina's return posed any geopolitical challenge or political pressure, arguing that she no longer had a political future in Bangladesh.
"We're discussing someone who is, frankly, an irrelevant person, in my personal view. I don't believe she has any political future in this country. And I'm not just speaking for myself. Even some who are sympathetic to the Awami League feel the same."
He added, "So I don't see this as pressure or a problem of any kind. We're the ones who want her to come, we're the ones trying to bring her back, trying to extradite her.
“And it's not just the then interim government, the state minister for foreign affairs confirmed [on Monday] that this government has also sought [Hasina's] extradition from India.”
In response to questions about a court order restricting media coverage of Hasina's remarks, Zahed said the directive came from the judiciary rather than the government.
He said the executive is constitutionally bound to enforce court orders, while anyone believing the ruling restricts press freedom has the option of challenging it before the court.
The advisor also urged everyone to respect court orders, particularly as statements continue to circulate widely on social media.
He added that the government has already begun work to address structural shortcomings in the judiciary, including a shortage of judges and the concentration of High Court activities in Dhaka.
