PM urges Canada to extradite Noor Chowdhury

Desk Report: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday reiterated Bangladesh call to Canada to return convict Noor Chowdhury, the man who had directly shot Bangabandhu dead on August 15, 1975, as outgoing Canadian High Commissioner Benoit- Pierre Laramee made farewell call on her.

"The Prime Minister sought his (Noor Chowdhury's) extradition," PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim told a media briefing after the call on at the PMO.

The envoy in reply said he would convey Bangladesh's concern to the Canadian authority, Ihsanul said.

Chowdhury fled the country to evade justice as Awami League returned to power in 1996 general elections and initiated the process to expose to justice the August 15, 1975 carnage and he eventually took refuge in Canada to get the protection of their 'pre-removal risk assessment' law.

The press secretary said the issue of next election also came in their discussion as they exchanged views on holding an inclusive and transparent general election.

Sheikh Hasina said her party has played the pioneer role in restoring the democratic rights of the people. There was no transparent system to hold free and fair election from 1975 to 1990, she said, adding "we have introduced the transparent ballot box and voters' list with photographs".

Ahead of last general election, she said, her government and party frantically tried to ensure BNP's participation in the election under an all party interim government.

"We had (even) proposed BNP to give any ministry in the interim government . . . but BNP was rigid to foil the election," she said.

The premier highlighted her government's constant endeavor to contain terrorism saying the government was spearheading an ant-militancy campaign taking onboard people of every profession, group, religious leaders, teachers and other sections of society.

The Canadian envoy expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister and her government for extending all support during his stay in Bangladesh.

He praised the people of Bangladesh for their love for mother language, history and culture and laid importance on preserving and protecting the mother language.

The envoy recalled that Canada was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh after 1971 independence and relations between the two countries grew steadily and assured continued support for Bangladesh's development.

The envoy appreciated constant success of Bangladesh in socioeconomic areas and successful holding of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Dhaka this year. He hoped that Bangladesh in next two years would become a middle income country.

PM's principal secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury was present at that time.

BSS

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 13, 2017/Saif/Amirul