Hasina extradition requires India's political, diplomatic will: Shama

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Thursday said bringing ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina back to the country would require India's political and diplomatic goodwill, while insisting that the issue would not undermine bilateral ties between the two neighbours.
Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the state minister said Dhaka had repeatedly communicated with New Delhi, seeking the return of Sheikh Hasina and other accused persons currently staying in India to face justice in Bangladesh.
"We hope that India will respond to our repeated communications and letters regarding Sheikh Hasina and other accused persons who are in India and whose trials have either been completed or are pending in Bangladesh. We expect India to expedite the process through diplomatic channels and facilitate their return," she said.
Shama Obaed stressed that the Hasina issue should not be viewed as an obstacle to Bangladesh-India relations.
"I do not think this issue will disrupt relations between Bangladesh and India. Bilateral relations will continue, and relations between two countries are always multidimensional," she said.
She noted that dialogue and exchanges between the two countries would continue, citing the visit of Bangladesh's adviser Brig Gen (Retd.) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam to a BIMSTEC meeting as an example of ongoing engagement.
"However, this issue is extremely important for the people of Bangladesh, for democracy and for the country's history," she said.
Referring to the July uprising, the state minister said the families of those killed and injured deserved justice.
Responding to questions about aircraft procurement, Shama Obaed said Bangladesh planned to purchase both Boeing and Airbus aircraft, rejecting suggestions that the Boeing acquisition was the result of external pressure.
Bangladesh had earlier committed to purchasing Airbus aircraft from France, while Boeing aircraft are being acquired from the United States. "Our civil aviation sector needs to be taken to a much higher level. The Prime Minister inherited a fragile economy from the previous government. To put the economy back on a stronger footing, we have to exercise austerity where necessary while also making essential purchases. We need both Boeing and Airbus, and we will buy both," she said.

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