Tarique’s citizenship debate

Tarique no longer Bangladeshi citizen, says law minister

Law minister Anisul Huq yesterday claimed that BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman was no longer a Bangladeshi citizen as he had surrendered his passport to the British government. “Though Tarique’s Bangladeshi citizenship is void, he could be brought back to the country through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty that we have with the UK,” the minister said at a media briefing in the Secretariat. Referring to the statement by the state minister for foreign affairs, Shahriar Alam, that Tarique had denied Bangladeshi citizenship by seeking political asylum in UK, Anisul Huq said the BNP leader was no more a Bangladeshi citizen.  But his citizenship could be reinstated should he want it in future, he added.

“As long as Tarique had his passport with him, he was a Bangladeshi citizen. But he surrendered his passport to the British government. How could he remain a Bangladeshi citizen? Tarique can, however, get back his citizenship after coming back to the country,” he said.

“When a Bangladeshi national stays in the country, there is no problem pertaining to the existence of his/her passport. But when a Bangladeshi stays abroad, his identity is the passport,” he added.

The law minister said Dhaka was trying to sign an extradition treaty with London. Responding to a query on broadcasting and publishing news and footage of Tarique, the law minister urged TV channels and media houses to follow the High Court order that banned the broadcast, publication and dissemination of speeches and statements of the “absconding leader”.

Asked about the detention and subsequent release of AKM Fahim Mashroor, the chief executive officer of Bangladesh’s largest job site bdjobs.com, over a fake Facebook ID, Anisul Huq said he will ask law enforcers to carry out an investigation before taking any steps regarding the case that was filed under Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act.

The minister also warned law enforcers of action if cases are filed and someone is arrested under the Act before completion of the necessary formalities, including investigating the allegations.

Anisul Huq said National Legal Aid Day would be observed on April 28 across the country so that poor people could be more aware about free legal services. Also yesterday, attorney general (AG) Mahbubey Alam echoed the law minister on Tarique’s citizenship.

“If Tarique had stayed in Bangladesh, there would have been no controversy over his citizenship. But he is not in the country and has surrendered his Bangladeshi passport in the UK. So, I think he is not a citizen of the country in any manner,” the AG told reporters at his Supreme Court office.  “If he has any passport, let him produce it before the media,” he said.

The comments of the law minister and the AG came in the midst of a raging debate between the ruling Awami League and BNP over Tarique’s citizenship. Earlier, the state minister for foreign affairs said that Tarique had relinquished his nationality by surrendering his Bangladeshi passport in the UK.

 

Tariques citizenship debate

Tarique no longer Bangladeshi citizen, says law minister

Law minister Anisul Huq yesterday claimed that BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman was no longer a Bangladeshi citizen as he had surrendered his passport to the British government. Though Tariques Bangladeshi citizenship is void, he could be brought back to the country through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty that we have with the UK, the minister said at a media briefing in the Secretariat. Referring to the statement by the state minister for foreign affairs, Shahriar Alam, that Tarique had denied Bangladeshi citizenship by seeking political asylum in UK, Anisul Huq said the BNP leader was no more a Bangladeshi citizen. But his citizenship could be reinstated should he want it in future, he added. As long as Tarique had his passport with him, he was a Bangladeshi citizen. But he surrendered his passport to the British government. How could he remain a Bangladeshi citizen? Tarique can, however, get back his citizenship after coming back to the country, he said. When a Bangladeshi national stays in the country, there is no problem pertaining to the existence of his/her passport. But when a Bangladeshi stays abroad, his identity is the passport, he added. The law minister said Dhaka was trying to sign an extradition treaty with London. Responding to a query on broadcasting and publishing news and footage of Tarique, the law minister urged TV channels and media houses to follow the High Court order that banned the broadcast, publication and dissemination of speeches and statements of the absconding leader. Asked about the detention and subsequent release of AKM Fahim Mashroor, the chief executive officer of Bangladeshs largest job site bdjobs.com, over a fake Facebook ID, Anisul Huq said he will ask law enforcers to carry out an investigation before taking any steps regarding the case that was filed under Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. The minister also warned law enforcers of action if cases are filed and someone is arrested under the Act before completion of the necessary formalities, including investigating the allegations. Anisul Huq said National Legal Aid Day would be observed on April 28 across the country so that poor people could be more aware about free legal services. Also yesterday, attorney general (AG) Mahbubey Alam echoed the law minister on Tariques citizenship. If Tarique had stayed in Bangladesh, there would have been no controversy over his citizenship. But he is not in the country and has surrendered his Bangladeshi passport in the UK. So, I think he is not a citizen of the country in any manner, the AG told reporters at his Supreme Court office. If he has any passport, let him produce it before the media, he said. The comments of the law minister and the AG came in the midst of a raging debate between the ruling Awami League and BNP over Tariques citizenship. Earlier, the state minister for foreign affairs said that Tarique had relinquished his nationality by surrendering his Bangladeshi passport in the UK.