Bangladesh has requested Canada to send back Noor Chowdhury, the self-confessed and convicted killer of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam made the plea on Wednesday when newly appointed Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Benoit-Pierre Laramee paid a courtesy call on him at his office, state-owned news agency BSS reported quoting a foreign ministry press release. Earlier, Bangladesh in several times requested Canadian government to extradite Noor Chowdhury, who was awarded death penalty in the trial of Bangabandhu Murder Case, but the request was turned down by Ottawa citing legal obligation. According to the Canadian legal system, Ottawa cannot deport any foreign citizen who might face death penalty in his or her home country. However, Foreign Secretary Md. Shahidul Haque on Tuesday said that he will raise the extradition issue of Noor Chowdhury at a formal meeting with top officials of the Canadian government next week. Haque said this while talking to journalists prior to his departure for New York, Ottawa and Washington to attend three events yesterday.
