Legal process underway to bring Hasina back: Shafiqul

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, has said that rigorous legal efforts are underway to bring Sheikh Hasina back to the country. He assured that her return would follow due legal procedures.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Tuesday, Shafiqul Alam said, “Adhering to the rule of law requires allowing sufficient time for legal procedures to take their course. It is not possible to expedite such processes merely by intent. Efforts to bring Sheikh Hasina back are progressing within the framework of Bangladesh’s existing legal system.”

He added, “We have repeatedly expressed our intention to bring Sheikh Hasina back. Yesterday, December 23, the Foreign Affairs Adviser also addressed this issue, expressing optimism that her return could happen soon or, at the very least, in due time.”

Expressing hope that Sheikh Hasina would face trial, Shafiqul Alam further said, “We have witnessed the gravity of her crimes. The atrocities committed over the past 15 years are unimaginable. The world is now waking up to the extent and nature of her actions.”

Referring to the report from the Commission on Enforced Disappearances, he stated, “In the past 15 years, over 3,500 people have gone missing. Thousands have been victims of extrajudicial killings. In July and August alone, more than 1,500 people lost their lives.”

Shafiqul Alam also commented on allegations made by BNP leaders, who claim that during the previous government’s tenure, false cases were filed against 5 to 6 million people. “They have also alleged that human rights violations were at their peak during that period,” he noted.