Md Touhid Hossain, adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, clarified during a briefing on Tuesday, April 8, that no final decision had been made regarding Sheikh Hasina's extradition in the discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing another concern, Touhid firmly condemned the recent looting incidents, stating, "Looting cannot be justified as part of any protest, as it is a criminal act. We remain hopeful that this will not negatively impact foreign investment in the country."
The Foreign Affairs Advisor also discussed Bangladesh's cooperation with India and China on the complex issue of river water. He explained that Bangladesh has an umbrella Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with both neighboring countries, noting, "River water is a crucial issue for us, especially given the significant variation in seasonal flow. There are no obstacles in cooperating with either India or China. We will assess which projects provide the most benefit through assistance."
On the issue of the Rohingya repatriation, Hossain stated that Myanmar had confirmed in the Thailand meeting that 80,000 Rohingyas are eligible for repatriation, with the remainder of the list still under review.
He emphasised, "We have demanded that Myanmar expedite the repatriation of the remaining individuals. However, approving this list does not mean that repatriation will happen immediately. We are fully aware of the real situation in Rakhine, and it is not feasible to repatriate them in the current circumstances."