Information and Broadcasting Minister Andalib Rahman Partha has urged journalists to maintain professionalism while questioning him about Sheikh Hasina, after a reporter referred to the former prime minister as his relative. Partha said he is serving in the government as Information Minister, not in his capacity as Sheikh Hasina’s relative.

The remarks came on Tuesday (August 25) at a press conference held at the Secretariat to brief journalists on the progress of various government activities. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Zahed Ur Rahman was also present.

During the briefing, a journalist asked about efforts to bring Sheikh Hasina back from India. At one point, the journalist asked, ‘The government has written to India seeking the return of fugitive Sheikh Hasina. It has also asked for the return of the killers of Sharif Osman Hadi. Is there any update? When can we expect your relative, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to be brought back?’

In response, Andalib Rahman Partha said, ‘I have said before that your question should be more professional. I am sitting here as the Information Minister, not as her relative. I hope you will ask questions in a professional way in the future.’

At the time, adviser Zahed Ur Rahman also referred to Partha’s family and political background, saying, ‘You have known him for many years… who he was with and what he did are very clearly exposed. Isn’t it?’

Andalib Rahman Partha’s father, Najiur Rahman Manju, served as a minister in the government of HM Ershad. After the Jatiya Party split, Manju led one faction under the name Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP). Following his death in 2008, Partha took over the party’s leadership.

Partha is related to Sheikh Hasina through his family. His mother, Reba Rahman, is the niece of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the sister of Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim. Partha’s wife, Sheikh Saira Rahman, is the daughter of Sheikh Helal Uddin, a cousin of Sheikh Hasina. As such, Sheikh Hasina is Partha’s paternal aunt.

Asked about bringing Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh, the Information Minister said, ‘Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the former fascist government is in India. We know that, and what we have learned from our government is that certain conditions have been given. As far as I know, Indian Express reported that they are now going to pursue the matter through the courts.’

Partha said, ‘In that case, I think she went there in one way, but the government there now does not want to take political responsibility for it, so they are handing it over to the judiciary. I think this news will not be very pleasant for her.’

The Information Minister also expressed the government’s desire to bring back other individuals facing cases and ensure that they are brought to justice alongside Sheikh Hasina. He said, ‘Our demand is only one: why only her? We want everyone to be brought back—the people against whom cases have been filed, against whom there are allegations. From Bangladesh’s perspective, we want proper justice for the incidents beginning with the July movement as well as those that occurred before it.’