Dhaka: Bangladesh has officially requested India to send back former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5 this year after a student-led movement ousted her from power. The request was made through a “note verbale” to the Indian government, Bangladesh’s Interim government’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Touhid Hossain said, according to local media reports.
Tensions continue to escalate in Bangladesh as Sheikh Hasina denounces the interim government, labeling its actions as “fascist” and accusing it of depriving the people of their fundamental rights. The situation has drawn significant international attention, with global observers closely monitoring the developments and expressing concern over the potential consequences of Hasina’s extradition.
Alert for India! Most dangerous man for India released from Bangladesh jail after…; wanted to assassinate Sheikh Hasina but…
Now, Bangladesh appears to be in a conflicting stance, seeking Sheikh Hasina’s return while at the same time releasing one of India’s most dangerous foes from prison. Abdus Salam Pintu, a former minister, has a notorious history of supporting terrorists in attacks against India and planning assaults on Sheikh Hasina’s rallies.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pintu, the Vice Chairman of BNP, was released from jail after 17 years. He was arrested for alleged involvement in the massacre in August 21, 2004, targeting Awami League politicians, including Sheikh Hasina. Closely associated with Khaleda Zia, his release raises serious concerns for both India and Sheikh Hasina, adding complexity to the region’s already fragile security and political dynamics.
“Abdus Salam Pintu was charged with plotting the 21st August (2004) grenade attacks,” his lawyer Shishir Monir spoke to news agency ANI over the phone. In 2018, Pintu was sentenced to death, which was on December 1 overturned by a Bangladesh High Court. When asked about certain media reports that claimed that Pintu had connections with the terrorist group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and the terror groups of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) which connivance to carry out an attack on India, advocate Shishir Monir said, “There is no such allegation in the case filed against him”.
Earlier on August 21, 2004, 24 Awami League leaders were killed and at least 400 injured in a grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina’s public meeting. Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped but her hearing was impaired due to an injury to her ear. Later, a judicial court sentenced 19 people, including BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu, to death on October 10, 2018.
On August 5, a student-led movement forced Sheikh Hasina out of office as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister following weeks of protests and violent clashes that claimed over 600 lives. The 76-year-old Hasina fled to India, and an interim government under the leadership of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was established.
On December 1, the country’s High Court acquitted all the individuals previously sentenced to death or life imprisonment in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack case under the Murder and Explosive Substances Act.
The High Court also observed that the ruling by the judicial court was illegal. This verdict was declared by the bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain.
It is reported that Abdus Salam provided support to the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) in executing attacks against India. Salam played a pivotal role in facilitating terror attacks in India by supporting HuJI’s efforts in procuring weapons, recruiting members, and conducting training programs in camps located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). He has been accused of assisting HuJI in training madrassa students in the use of firearms and explosives, as well as in mobilizing funds and supplying weapons for terrorists operating in Kashmir.
Abdus Salam Pintu was elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Tangail-2 (Gopalpur-Bhuyapur) in the 1991 and 2001 national elections. In 2001, he was appointed as a deputy minister. In January 2008, he was arrested in the August 21 grenade attack case. Since his arrest, he had been detained in prison.
(With inputs from ANI)
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