India Sheltered Sheikh Hasina for Its Own Interests: Rizvi

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Senior Joint Secretary General and Prime Minister's Advisor Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has claimed that India provided shelter to Sheikh Hasina to serve its own vested interests.

Rizvi made the remark on Thursday (August 13) during a discussion and prayer session organized in the capital’s Pallabi area to mark the 57th birth anniversary of Arafat Rahman Koko.

He alleged that India sheltered the former Prime Minister because they consider her a close ally, asserting that the neighboring country used her to fulfill its "aggressive ambitions."

Rizvi further commented that, blinded by a lust for power, the former Prime Minister utilized law enforcement agencies like the police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in an attempt to destroy the Zia family.

Dismissing Sheikh Hasina's remarks about returning to Bangladesh as an "absurd expectation," Rizvi emphasized that she must be brought back to the country to face trial, ensuring justice for the enforced disappearances and murders committed during her government's tenure.

Speaking at the same event, State Minister for Sports Aminul Haque also highlighted the legacy of Arafat Rahman Koko, stating that Koko made a significant contribution to elevating the country's cricket to its current standard.