State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said a British delegation had expressed its surprise over the recent comment of BNP leader Tarique Zia who said Ziaur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh.
“I raised the issue and I asked them Tarique Zia who is living in England got such information after 43 years and what they think about it?,” Shahriar Alam said after his meeting with the British delegation led by British State Minister for International Development Alan Duncan in the ministry Tuesday.
“They told me that they are surprised to hear that and they were smiling when they said it. They do not have any explanation why a political party gave such a distorted information. And they also expressed their surprise,” Shahriar said.
When asked about bringing back Tarique Zia to Bangladesh, he said there was a procedure to do that.
“When a warrant is issued, the foreign ministry will act upon request from the home ministry,” he said.
Shahriar, however, said no warrant was issued against him now and the foreign ministry could act when there was a warrant.
Tarique, son of former military-turned president Ziaur Rahman and former three-times prime minister Khaleda Zia, at a seminar in London before the Independence Day said Ziaur Rahman, a sector commander in 1971, was the first president in Bangladesh.
Khaleda Zia later also endorsed his view and publicly said her spouse was the first president.
Alan Duncan arrived in the city Monday on a three-day visit and he will visit Rana Plaza site on Wednesday.