Bangladesh
Prisoner Swap | UK Prisoner exchange deal will make it easier to bring back any prisoners from the UK: Home Secretary
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 14 September 2023: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that talks are underway to make a prisoner exchange agreement with the United Kingdom. The minister said this while replying to questions from reporters after the general law and order meeting on the occasion of upcoming Durga Puja at the Secretariat on Thursday.
Asked whether a prisoner exchange agreement is being made with the UK to return Tarique Rahman to the country or not, the Home Minister said, 'As far as I have heard, they have made a proposal with our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the discussion is going on. We have not yet received a concrete proposal. As far as we know such discussions have taken place. After discussion, it will be implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs, our representative was present during the discussion. As far as I have heard this discussion has taken place. We have not yet received any details on how the discussion will be implemented.
In response to the question of who gave the proposal, the minister said, "It was done through discussion." He said, "Many of us have an exchange agreement." Where this agreement is made, it is based on mutual agreement between the parties. The legislative wing of the Ministry of Law has consistently worked in these processes. After completing those tasks, an environment will be created for the completion of this agreement.
When asked whether it will be easy to bring back Tariq Rahman if there is a prisoner exchange agreement with the UK, the Home Minister said, "Let it come." The process of bringing back any prisoner will be easy.
Asaduzzaman Khan said, 'We will work, how long we can finish it depends on the environment. Because our discussions, decisions, legal matters of two countries, they also have many activities. It will be (prisoner exchange agreement) after they are completed.
