Dhaka: Bangladesh has set up a high-level task force to bring back home all the fugitives, including those involved in 1971 war crimes and assassination of the country’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Law Minister Anisul Huq will lead the 10-member Task Force,” according to a gazette notification issued by the cabinet division here on Thursday.
The other members of the task force include the foreign minister, state minister for home, the attorney general, inspector general of police, Directors General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security Intelligence (NSI) and secretaries of home, law and foreign affairs.
The task force would prepare a list of fugitives, identify their locations abroad “using appropriate sources” and take steps for their extradition while the home ministry would provide secretarial assistance to the high-powered body, according to the notification.
A cabinet division official preferring anonymity said even if any convicted Bangladeshis were found to have obtained nationality of any other country, the task force would devise ways for their return to be face trial.
Several of the fugitives are sought for 1971 war crimes. Among the fugitives, six are ex-army officers who were sentenced to death for the August 15, 1975 coup in which Bangabandhu was killed along with most of his family members.
Dhaka had earlier launched a diplomatic campaign and engaged the Interpol to bring them back. Officials said two of them were believed to be hiding in India as Bangladesh earlier sought New Delhi’s assistance to track them down and extradite them. (PTI)
