Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam today, Monday, said Bangladesh has sought consular access for two suspects detained in India in connection with the murder of martyr Sharif Usman bin Hadi.
“We asked for consular access… We will pursue the matter through diplomatic channels,” he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry this afternoon.
The state minister said Kolkata Police had recently arrested two persons as murder suspects and had reportedly placed them on 14-day remand.
He said Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commission in Kolkata had already contacted the relevant authorities and formally requested consular access to obtain further information and verify the identities of the detainees.
“Once we have complete information and diplomatic access, we will be able to move on to the next steps,” he said.
Shama Obaid Islam said Bangladesh has a prisoner exchange agreement with India and the government would consider using that mechanism if the suspects were confirmed to be involved in crimes.
He said, “If the suspects are identified as the perpetrators of the murder, we certainly want justice. In that case, we will approach the Indian government through diplomatic channels to bring them back under the prisoner exchange agreement or any other appropriate legal mechanism.”
Responding to a question about the timeline of his return, the State Minister said that the matter is currently under the legal and judicial process of the other country. Dhaka must wait for further development.
“We have requested consular access and are following our rules and procedures. We hope India will cooperate with us in this matter,” he said.
He said that if consular access is granted, Bangladeshi authorities will meet the detainees in accordance with international procedures to verify their identity and facts before deciding on further action.
Asked about communication with India, the Minister of State said Bangladesh has already contacted authorities through its mission in Kolkata and formally sought diplomatic access, but no response has been received yet from Kolkata or New Delhi.
The state minister also touched on broader bilateral issues and said Bangladesh was discussing a number of issues with India, including diesel supply, water sharing and concerns over border killings.
He said India had expressed interest in maintaining constructive relations with Bangladesh after the formation of the new government in Dhaka.
“If we want to maintain good diplomacy between the two countries, those commitments must be reflected in actions,” he said.
On a separate question regarding ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Minister of State said efforts to bring her back to Bangladesh to face trial remain an ongoing process.
He said the government seeks justice for crimes allegedly committed during the previous regime, including killings during the July uprising, and efforts to bring those accused to justice, including the ousted prime minister, who is currently in India, will continue through legal and diplomatic channels.