Bangladesh Ambassador: No information on Murad’s status in Canada
Murad Hassan, the disgraced politician who stepped down as a state minister after audio leaks of obscene comments and rape threats, is seen at the Dhaka airport late on Thursday in this photo obtained from social media
Sheikh Shahariar Zaman
Publish : 10 Dec 2021, 12:53 AMUpdate : 11 Dec 2021, 04:35 PM
Amid a whirlwind of controversy, Murad Hassan took an Emirates Airlines flight to Canada in the early hours of Friday, but confusion has mounted over whether he was able to enter the country.
Reports of the Canadian immigration denying entry to the disgraced Bangaldeshi politician started making the rounds in the media late on Friday.
Citing sources at the immigration department, Toronto-based Bangla newspaper "Notun Desh" said he was not allowed to enter and that he had taken a flight to a Middle-eastern country.
The Bangladesh embassy, however, said it has “no information” on Murad, who resigned as a state minister after audio of obscene comments and rape threats made by him surfaced online.
FILE PHOTO: Murad Hassan has been in the eye of a social media storm for his untoward remarks on former prime minister Khaleda Zia's granddaughter followed by scandalous audio leaks that went viral Facebook/Md. Murad Hassan
“We have no information on whether he has entered or denied entry or his whereabouts in Canada,” Ambassador Khalilur Rahman said on Saturday.
He said that they were aware of media reports on Murad’s status in Canada. “There are reports that he was quizzed at the immigration while another report claimed of him being in Montreal.”
Usually the missions are informed about visits of cabinet members or lawmakers for protocols, but that was not the case this time, according to Rahman.
Moreover, the Canadian immigration department has not informed anything about Murad, he added.
“We have very good relations with the immigration authorities. If something happened they would have informed us,” said the Bangladesh envoy.
Murad had travelled to Canada with his diplomatic passport for around a week in September, when he had gone to Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. He had gone to the US the next month.
Bangladesh Ambassador: No information on Murad’s status in Canada
Amid a whirlwind of controversy, Murad Hassan took an Emirates Airlines flight to Canada in the early hours of Friday, but confusion has mounted over whether he was able to enter the country.
Reports of the Canadian immigration denying entry to the disgraced Bangaldeshi politician started making the rounds in the media late on Friday.
Citing sources at the immigration department, Toronto-based Bangla newspaper "Notun Desh" said he was not allowed to enter and that he had taken a flight to a Middle-eastern country.
The Bangladesh embassy, however, said it has “no information” on Murad, who resigned as a state minister after audio of obscene comments and rape threats made by him surfaced online.
“We have no information on whether he has entered or denied entry or his whereabouts in Canada,” Ambassador Khalilur Rahman said on Saturday.
He said that they were aware of media reports on Murad’s status in Canada. “There are reports that he was quizzed at the immigration while another report claimed of him being in Montreal.”
Usually the missions are informed about visits of cabinet members or lawmakers for protocols, but that was not the case this time, according to Rahman.
Moreover, the Canadian immigration department has not informed anything about Murad, he added.
“We have very good relations with the immigration authorities. If something happened they would have informed us,” said the Bangladesh envoy.
Murad had travelled to Canada with his diplomatic passport for around a week in September, when he had gone to Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. He had gone to the US the next month.
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