It will not be too difficult to extradite acting BNP chief Tarique Rahman, says Attorney General (AG) Mahbubey Alam.
BNP chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s son is currently a fugitive who has been given life sentence along with 18 others in the Aug 21 grenade attack case.
“He cannot seek political asylum abroad as he has not been given the death penalty,” the AG told the media on Thursday (Oct 11). “The international law does not corroborate giving asylum to convicts.”
On Wednesday (Oct 10), Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 gave the death penalty to former BNP ministers Lutfozzaman Babar and Abdus Salam Pintu and 17 others for their involvement in the 2004 attack on an Awami League rally.
Investigations revealed that the at least 13 grenades were charged that day targeting the then-opposition leader and now Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“The court provides copies of verdict to death row convicts. And if they appeal, it will be presented before the High Court as death references. The State will move to expedite the hearings, but there are some issues like preparing the paper book for the cases,” said the State’s top legal officer.
On the issue of BNP acting chief Tarique masterminding the brazen attack, Alam said that they will go through the verdict. “The State will appeal for Tarique’s death penalty if they find that life sentence was not a fitting punishment for his crimes.”
Pakistan might have a hand in destabilizing Bangladesh, according to the attorney general. “One of the convicts is a Pakistani national and we suspect that Pakistan is still pursuing their agenda to eliminate the leaders of Bangladesh.”
Referring to the hanging of Pakistani leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he said, “Bhutto did not kill anyone, but people were killed at his behest. I think Tarique deserves death.”
One of the biggest terror attacks in the history of Bangladesh, the assault left 24 people dead and hundreds injured when approximately 14 grenades were detonated at an anti-terrorism rally by Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue during the BNP-Jamaat’s regime.