Dhaka seeks Tajuddin's extradition from South Africa

Bangladesh today requested South Africa to expedite the process of extraditing the key accused of August 21 grenade attack case Maulana Tajuddin, who is reportedly took refuge in the African country.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam made the call while talking to South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Nomaindiya Mfeketo in Bali on the sidelines of 16th Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), according to a statement of foreign ministry.

The South African deputy minister reiterated her government’s willingness to cooperate in this regard, said the statement.

The state minister also requested his counterpart to actively consider opening up of South African resident diplomatic mission in Dhaka to facilitate people-to-people exchange as well as exchanges between potential businesses between the two countries. 

Both of them also agreed on further strengthening and consolidating the ties between the two countries in diverse fields, according to the statement.

The state minister also met Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates Dr Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi.

During the meetings, the state minister was accompanied by Rear Admiral Md Khurshed Alam, secretary of the maritime affairs unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The grenade attack on August 21, 2004 is the most horrific of terrorist acts in the country since the liberation.

On that day, 24 Awami League leaders and workers were brutally killed and over 300 injured in the grenade attack on a rally in Bangabandhu Avenue addressed by the then Leader of the Opposition and AL chief, Sheikh Hasina.

Ivy Rahman, wife of the late President Zillur Rahman and a veteran politician and women affairs secretary of the Awami League, succumbed to her injuries three days after the grisly attack.