Extradite fugitive Rashed

Dhaka has requested Washington to send back Rashed Chowdhury, an absconding killer of Bangabandhu, to Bangladesh.

“I have requested the US ambassador to extradite Bangabandhu's killer Rashed Chowdhury and see how the relations get momentum and strengthen between the two countries,” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told reporters after a meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller yesterday afternoon.

“Bangladesh's request is very much logical and genuine since the US follows the same policy when it comes to its nationals who are living in another country but convicted in any criminal case.”

Moreover, there is an instance that the US government had deported another fugitive Lt Col Mohiuddin Ahmed on June 17, 2007, after a US court rejected his appeal for residency. Mohiuddin was hanged along with four other convicted killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 28, 2010. 

The minister said Miller promised to convey the request of Dhaka to Washington.

The US envoy told reporters that he discussed with the foreign minister issues like strengthening good governance and democracy in Bangladesh, building stronger US-Bangladesh ties, Bangladesh's engagement with the Indo-Pacific Strategy and military purchase from the US.

Despite repeated requests from Bangladesh to deport Rashed, the US granted him political asylum a few years ago.

On the Rohingya issue, Momen said he asked the US envoy to take effective steps and tell its partners to influence early repatriation of over a million of forcible displaced Myanmar nationals.

On the election issue, the foreign minister said the US diplomat talked about the issue of a few “irregularities” raised by some quarters in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah HM Al Mutairi paid a courtesy call on the minister.