Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman has said the government is taking initiatives through discussions with India to bring ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh.

He said the government’s position remains the same whether Sheikh Hasina returns voluntarily or is brought back to the country. The necessary procedures will be followed in either case.

He made the remarks in response to questions from journalists at a press conference on Tuesday (November 3), organised to brief the media on progress in various government activities. Principal Information Officer of the Department of Information Syed Abdal Ahmed was also present.

Responding to a question about lifting restrictions on Sheikh Hasina’s passport and allowing her to return to Bangladesh, the adviser said the government did not want to prevent her from coming back. Rather, its interest was in ensuring her return.

“Let her come on her own, or let us bring her back. We want her back. I am saying that the restrictions on her passport should now be lifted. She is eligible to return. Whether she decides to come back or we have to initiate a process to bring her back, that is not a passport issue,” he said.

The prime minister’s adviser said Sheikh Hasina was currently staying in India and that the government wanted to take initiatives through discussions with the Indian authorities to bring her back. All necessary procedures and formalities would be followed.

Asked whether the government would issue Sheikh Hasina a travel pass if she requested one, he said that although she had been sentenced to death, she remained a Bangladeshi citizen.

He added that the government’s response to any decision by her to return would be considered once such a situation arose.

“How the government will respond if she wants to return is something we will determine at the appropriate time. Whether she comes voluntarily or we bring her back, our objective is the same. If the situation aligns with that objective, the government can take any necessary steps accordingly,” he said.

Responding to another question about whether allegations of violence and sabotage against Sheikh Hasina amounted to a repetition of the political practice of blaming opposition parties under the previous Awami League government, the adviser said the issue should not be viewed in that way.

He said there should be a clear distinction between the conduct of an authoritarian government and that of a democratic government.

“If we present baseless or false information to the public, the government will have to face the consequences. If we tell the people something false, we must bear the consequences. That is why I am saying that we are making these statements because they are based on evidence. This is not simply about blaming the opposition, as Hasina used to do,” he added.