Former state minister and Dhaka-6 MP Ishraque Hossain has said the process of bringing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh through an extradition treaty and an Interpol Red Notice has already begun.
"We seek her return under an extradition treaty. At the same time, the process of bringing her back through an Interpol Red Notice has also been initiated. We want a convicted perpetrator of genocide and murder brought back to face justice in Bangladesh. Anything else you are hearing is nothing more than political manoeuvring or propaganda," he said.
He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists after a meeting on the law-and-order situation in Dhaka district on Tuesday morning.
Ishraque said Bangladesh, with a population of around 180 million, has only about 200,000 police personnel, excluding members of the Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP). As a result, law enforcement agencies alone cannot maintain control over every aspect of the situation, making political initiatives necessary alongside their efforts.
"We held parliamentary and party meetings yesterday, where the prime minister issued strict directives. Each of us, as MPs, will organise political resistance in our respective constituencies, working alongside party activists and the general public. We will remain on the streets," he said.
Speaking about the recent law-and-order situation, Ishraque praised law enforcement agencies for their handling of unrest and what he described as attempts to create political instability during recent labour protests.
Regarding the hartal called by the Awami League, he said the programme would have little impact.
"The people of Bangladesh have rejected the Awami League, a party of murderers, autocrats and fascists. The party is effectively banned. Following the 2024 mass uprising and in view of the upcoming trials over genocide, the courts will decide whether the Awami League will be allowed to continue political activities under that name," he said.
Describing the party's recent activities as acts of terrorism, Ishraque alleged that its members operating from abroad were orchestrating sporadic acts of sabotage. He said the activities would bring them no political gains.
Pointing to traffic congestion in the capital on Tuesday morning, he said the general public was not voluntarily observing the hartal.
Ishraque added that the government was making every effort to restore normalcy to the law-and-order situation and address the challenges through political initiatives. He said steps were also being taken to bring those involved in covert attacks and sabotage to justice.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku, Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanom and others were present at the meeting.