Bangladesh to launch legal battle for Noor’s deportation: PM

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TORONTO, June 11, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her
government would fight in the Canadian court for deportation of Noor
Chowdhury, a self-confessed and convicted killer of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“We want to execute the sentences of the convicted killers (including Noor
Chowdhury) as they are’curses’ for Bangladesh,” she said while addressing a
reception accorded to her by Canada chapter of Awami League here on Sunday
afternoon local time.

Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League sought support and
cooperation of expatriate Bangladeshi nationals in Canada for the legal
battle for sacked army major Chowdhury’s extradition as he continued to live
here to evade justice.

Chowdhury is one of the two assassins who directly shot Bangabandbu dead
while the other direct killer Bazlul Huda walked to gallows years ago after
trial for his role in the August 15, 1975 carnage.

The premier’s comments came hours after she reiterated her request for
Chowdhury’s deportation as she held a meeting with her Canadian counterpart
Justine Trudeau also seeking his personal initiative for immediate
extradition of the self-confessed killer.

“Noor Chowdhury is a killer of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman . . . He is a self-confessed assassin and was convicted under
the law of Bangladesh,” the premier’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted
her as saying during the meeting with Trudeau.

Karim said in reply the Canadian premier expressed his compassion to
Sheikh Hasina saying “I can understand how painful it is for you”.

Trudeau said concerned Canadian officials were quietly engaged in dealing
with the issue while he Trudeau pointed out his country’s legal system about
deportation of a person convicted with death penalty.

Speaking at the community reception Sheikh Hasina said steps would also be
taken for deportation of other fugitive killers including sacked army
officers Rashed Chowdhury who was living in the USA and Abdur Rashid and
Sharful Haque Dalim who took refuge in Pakistan.

The premier said fortune started flashing on people’s faces through the
trial of Bangabandhu killers and anti-liberation forces after their ouster
from state power.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, joint secretary of Awami League Mahbubul
Alam Hanif, women leader Hasina Akhter Janu, Ontario Awami League leaders
Abdus Salam, Erthad Juberi Selim, president of Canada Awami League Golam
Mohammad Mahmud Mia and its general secretary Azizur Rahman Prince also spoke
on the occasion held at Metro Convention Center here.

Sheikh Hasina said the post 1975 rulers not only thwarted country’s
democratic system but also destroyed its economy, spirit of the liberation
war and all prides of the nation.

The prime minister said Bangladesh must continue its democratic process
and pace of development while expatriate nationals and their relatives in the
country have to remain vigil so that upcoming election can be held properly
to continue the country’s development.

The premier said Awami League has played the catalytic role in purifying
the country’s democratic system which Ziaur Rahman manipulated in the name of
so called ‘multi-party democracy’ under the purview of ‘curfew democracy’.

BNP didn’t take part in the last general election and it was their self-
styled decision. But, why people would pay for their wrong decision and why
innocent people would be burnt alive to fulfill their political vengeance,
she asked.

Sheikh Hasina said her party had floated the Charter of Changes in 2008
general election. In 2014, her party focused on continuation of the
development. Now Awami League has made up a new vision to make Bangladesh as
a middle income country by 2021 and a developed one in South Asia by 2041,
she said.

The prime minister said her government is not working for development of a
particular group of people, but progress of all people particularly in rural
area.

And people are now enjoying its benefits, she said. Sheikh Hasina said
Awami League, as a political party, has a long cherished goal for development
of the country and that plan has been designed long before.

The prime minister said all development plans of her government as well as
annual budget are designed according to party’s election manifesto, which is
not seen in case of other political parties. “So now we can claim that we
have done much more than our target and it is reflected in almost every
sector,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said every part of the country would be brought under full
electricity coverage very soon. Electricity generation has risen to 18,300 MW
in last nine years from only 1600 MW in 2008, she said.

The premier said 100 industrial zones are being established across the
county while plots are being allocated for expatriates to set up their
industries while many special benefits and facilities for women entrepreneurs
are being provided as well.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was liberated in nine months under the
leadership of Bangabandhu and the country would have been a developed one
within five to seven years if Bangabandhu was alive.

The prime minister said over the last nine years Bangladesh has achieved
tremendous successes in socioeconomic sector. Economic growth has shot up,
per capita income has increased, but inflation rates have remained under
control, she said.

Pointing out the successful launching of satellite Bangabandhu-1 to the
orbit, the prime minister said Bangladesh’s position is now stretches from
ocean to space.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh put itself as a dignified nation in the world
as the country is now constructing the Padma Bridge at its own cost. Survey
is being conducted for construction of underground rail in Dhaka, she added.

Criticising BNP for its destructive politics, the prime minister said BNP
never sees the development works implemented by Awami League government. But
they enjoy the benefits of every development.

They (BNP) have taken money in the name of orphans, but orphans didn’t get
any money, she said. Describing the conviction of Khaleda Zia in corruption
case as a court affair, the premier said the government has nothing to do
with this case as her learned lawyers could not prove her client innocents in
the court.

The premier, however, said her government was not being led by any
political vengeance on BNP as if it wanted, it would have arrested Khaleda
Zia when her party resorted to a reign of terror all over the country in the
name of movement in 2013, 2014 and 2015.